Carnivalesque
by Wolf On The Rocks
Summary: Lestrade/OC. Warning for self harm, damaging behaviour. A chance encounter leads to sex, several times. Until something shifts and for the woman who tries not to feel and the man who is trying to make it work with his wife, it might get complicated.
1. Chapter 1: Femme Fatale

_**DISCLAIMER: Obviously I don't own what you know already, all I've got are the things I've come up with and the way I've put it together. **_

_**Now I just want to point this out from the start. Sophie the OC is supposed to come across as almost a caricature quite carnivalesque and over the top. Just before anyone calls me out on it she is SUPPOSED to be like that, she's going to be a deeply flawed character and Sherlock does call her out on it a few times, she's not going to be 'saved' by the others or anything like that though. This is going to be Lestrade/OC just to put that out there but a really really slow burner. The first couple of chapters are sort of snap shot style just a way of introducing a character I'm experimenting with =) anyway enjoy and please review =) **_

_**So don't be surprised in the first few chapters if you really hate her….**_

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><p><em>The first time Lestrade realised she might actually like him was after one of their 'sessions', she didn't jump up and throw his clothes at him, throwing her own on in the process, she didn't run to shower expecting him to be gone when she got back. Instead she rested her face, hot and flushed on his chest, she had her hand resting on his shoulder and when he tipped his face to kiss the top of her head she didn't flinch, she let out a small sigh and seemed to wiggle closer to him.<em>

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><p>The first time Lestrade saw her he was sat in a bar in the city, it had been a long day, too long. The case was going nowhere and he knew he'd have to bring in Sherlock which meant pissing off Donovan and Anderson. Which meant a smug '<em>I've been expecting you',<em> look from Sherlock. Right now he needed a drink, a large one. He didn't want to go home because he couldn't be doing with the arguing, not tonight.

She was sat at the other end, he noticed her first because she had a long cigarette holder in her hand, at first he thought she was smoking and was thinking about how she shouldn't be. If he was honest, he missed the days when the bars were smoky and you woke up in the morning with the smell of stale smoke from the bar on your clothes, it was like a lingering memory on the clothes of the night before. Rules were rules though.

She wasn't smoking though, she just held it there, almost pretending to smoke it, she had dark blonde hair, waved hair that came to her chin, framing her face, she was pale, in a cream mac that silhouetted her. She turned her head slightly and he saw she was wearing red framed sunglasses, indoors. Dark lipstick framed her mouth. Odd was the word that sprung to mind for Lestrade but he looked at her a little longer, odd but definitely attractive. He watched her drain one drink and order another. Wondering if she had purposefully dressed so she looked as though she had stepped out of a movie, she seemed to be going for the femme fatale look. It was over the top she was looking for attention and right now Lestrade was happy to indulge.

He drained his drink and ordered another one, he watched her again. The bar wasn't that busy so he had a clear view of her. She spotted him when she turned her head in boredom and looked at him pulling the sunglasses down her nose so she could see him. She winked and smiled, Lestrade tipped his drink to her. She did the same and then turned her attention to the barman, she leant over to him being overly seductive, placing a hand on his collar and drawing him forward so his ear was level with her mouth and she whispered something.

The bar man looked at her oddly and then moved over to Lestrade.

'She said are you going to sit their staring at her all night or buy her a drink?' The barman asked him.

Lestrade held up his hand to her pointing to the wedding ring on his finger and returned to staring at the bottom of his glass.

'Unhappily.' A voice said into his ear, she sat herself on the bar stool next to him, she moved the sunglasses up onto her head and then bit on her finger slowly, when that had traced her lip she bit her lip, her knees were a little too close to his and he could feel the tingles of attraction stirring in him.

It was all overly seductive. She might as well have been dry humping him on a dance floor. Why did Lestrade still find her attractive then, women like this usually irritated him, deeply. The same women who danced like they were strippers, sweaty and writhing on a dance floor in next to no clothes for the entertainment of men. He wondered if it was the way she was dressed, the presentation. Then he realised he was over analysing things, he was doing a Sherlock. A beautiful woman sat very close to him and all he could do was think of how she might be and why he she shouldn't like her.

'No. Actually.' He said but his thoughts and face said _yes._

'You won't mind me seeing your ring then will you.' She said forcefully, she shifted in her seat, pushing her chest out a little. She was trying to impress him. Lestrade held his hand up and raised his eyebrows at her.

'No I meant take it off.' She said and she wiggled the ring off his finger, not bothering to ask for permission. He could feel the tingles as she did it, the spark of something starting inside of him. He felt guilty.

'Just as I thought, unhappily.' She said and handed it back to him, he let out a small laugh and looked at her for a moment. 'It's cleaner on the inside than the outside, that's because you play with it and you take it on and off a lot, like you're no longer comfortable with it being there.' She replied.

Lestrade looked at her a little in awe, sure he'd heard that somewhere before. He shook his head a smile crossing his face and sipped at his drink. 'Well, we're working through it, so sorry.' He said.

He wasn't the one who cheated, even when beautiful women threw themselves at him, he'd had opportunities but he didn't take them, he was trying to work it out. That's what they'd agreed. Yet as he sat there he found himself wishing he was single because he'd quite happily take her anywhere and shag her senseless right now.

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><p>Lestrade woke up in an unfamiliar bed, in an unfamiliar room and the woman next to him was most definitely not his wife. The events of last night flashed over his mind as he rubbed his eyes with one hand, the other supporting him as he sat up. The bar, he remembered the bar, he remembered laughing, seeing her outside, she came onto him heavily, if he was remembering correctly. Coming through the door and as she shut it kissing her, passionately, desperately. He felt the muscles in his stomach go tight at the memory. He looked over at her, hadn't she been blonde last night? Now she was ginger, hair falling against the pale skin of her back, which was longer then last night too. Lestrade was sure of it, he didn't know how to feel, guilty because he'd cheated and yet at the same time happy. He checked his phone which he found on a table next to the bed, no missed calls, he wasn't missed at home then, maybe his wife hadn't even gone home last night. He relaxed his shoulders and went to use the bathroom.<p>

Maybe he'd get too see her again, he half hoped, from what he remembered the sex had been pretty damn good. He felt himself sigh a little at the memory and decided to get back into bed until she woke up. He rubbed his head feeling a little fragile a hangover was starting to kick in.

When he came out of the bathroom though she was downing some amber liquid from a small glass, she looked around at him annoyance etched on her face, she was panda eyed from the night before but there was no lipstick left on her lips.

'Ergh! What are you still doing here.' She said coldly, he was still stood up.

'You tell me.' Lestrade said flirtation in his voice, a smile crossing his face. She stood up, hair falling around her face and over her shoulders landing just above her nipples, which were exposed as was the rest of her, flimsy underwear the only thing she had on. She didn't smile at him but picked up his clothes from the floor and thrust them into his arms as she made her way passed him to the bathroom.

'Be gone when I get out.' She ordered.

_How drunk was I last night?_ Lestrade thought, he didn't remember her being that much of a bitch last night, in fact if he remembered rightly she had come onto him. Lestrade wasn't about to argue the fact though, the way she felt was pretty clear in her voice. He dressed quickly, ego bruised and feeling rejected he made his way out onto a short landing and down some stairs. Something seemed very familiar about the music drifting up the stairs about the paper on the walls of this house. As he hit the third floor stairs he realised. He cringed and brought his hand to his face, he knew exactly why he recognised this house, these walls.

He knew exactly who else lived in the house, the one man he didn't want to meet right now. The one man who would tear apart any excuse for being there he could come up with. He crept down the stairs slowly carefully, hopefully he wouldn't stop playing. Hopefully Mrs Hudson wouldn't be bustling about downstairs.

221b Baker Street. The home of Sherlock Holmes and now it seemed the home of some mystery woman. In the attic, Lestrade wondered as he got out onto the street silently if she was a relation of Mrs Hudson. He doubted it.


	2. Chapter 2: Sweet

_**DISCLAIMER: Obviously I don't own what you know already, all I've got are the things I've come up with and the way I've put it together. **_

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><p><em>'For you.' She smiled and kissed the lady older then her on the cheek. 'I know how much you like them.' She handed her the box of chocolates and added 'I'm really sorry.' <em>

_'Oh Sophie you shouldn't have.' Mrs Hudson replied smiling at her, beaming. As much as she loved having Sherlock and John around it was also nice to have some other female company around the place, even if she did only emerge from the attic every once in a while. Mrs Hudson couldn't understand why she couldn't hold down a steady relationship. Where Mrs Hudson was concerned though Sophie acted rather differently than she did with most people._

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><p><em><em>The first time Mrs Hudson met Sophie she was sat in the café next to 221b Baker Street alone.

Mrs Hudson had gone out early that morning shopping, she looked in the window of the café like she always did giving a small wave to the girl behind the counter, this morning there was only one customer in there a young woman. When Mrs Hudson had finished her trip into town she decided to head in for a cup of tea before returning home, before returning to the madness that usually waited for her whenever Sherlock was in.

The café was busy today, every table was filled. Not every seat mind you, most tables had solitary customers sat at them. Gruff looking workmen who were in for a snack, solitary suited people too wrapped up in there mobiles, a young couple seeming to be mid argument. Mrs Hudson approached the counter and the same woman as before sat just off centre caught her attention, she was drawing on a napkin and swaying to the music on the radio, she kept looking up as though daring someone to look at her. No one was bothered by her though. No one seemed to notice her.

'That's very good.' Mrs Hudson said, the young woman looked up and Mrs Hudson noticed when she looked up her expression was stony at first, then on seeing Mrs Hudson her features softened and a small smile crossed her face.

'They should be, I'm an artist.' She replied.

'Do you mind?' Mrs Hudson asked gesturing to the seat opposite her, she rubbed her hip a little because it was aching, something which didn't go unnoticed by Sophie.

'Not at all.' She said as Mrs Hudson sat herself down. Mrs Hudson mouthed 'the usual' to whoever was behind the counter and then looked over the woman for a moment. When living with Sherlock Holmes and listening to him work for hours on end, people often found they themselves became a little more observant and Mrs Hudson was no different. This girl looked a little lost, a little dishevelled, like she was almost trying too hard to look scruffy. Her hair was pulled up into an untidy clip. She had the potential though to look very pretty and feminine if she tried.

'You could frame and sell them.' Mrs Hudson smiled at her. She wondered about the clothes she was wearing, she was going to attract the wrong sort of attention with clothes like that: a leather jacket zipped up just over her naval, what one could probably call underwear substituting for a top, exposing a small amount of soft pale skin, was the she not cold? Mrs Hudson's mothering instinct kicked in a little as she looked over her, the same look she gave Sherlock when he had one of his experiments. Curiosity mingled with the want to give him a hug and a playful ruffle of the hair.

'Not these ones.' She said putting the finishing touches on a line and then looking up at Mrs Hudson. 'These will be put in the bin with the rest.' She smiled.

'Oh what a shame!' Mrs Hudson said.

'Not really they're just doodles,' she replied, Mrs Hudson picked one up and examined it. They chit chatted for a while in the little café. Mrs Hudson had learned her name was Sophie, she felt a need to mother the stranger, like she wanted to take her hand and tell her it was going to be ok. She seemed like a nice girl just a little lost.

Mrs Hudson felt flattered when Sophie asked her questions about her own career and life, nothing too personal but every detail seemed to fascinate Sophie, her eyes wide wanting to know more. It was a long time since anyone had been fascinated by what Mrs Hudson had to say, she understood a little of what Sherlock must feel when everyone was watching him explain some brilliant wandering of his mind. What had really snowballed it though was when Mrs Hudson had begun to babble about an artist she had met in the sixties. Sophie had immediately become enraptured eyes wide with a thirst to hear more about the artist, about the decade about Mrs Hudson's escapades.

When Mrs Hudson put her tea down some time later she noticed the paper, red circles around various squares on it. She noticed the rent figures.

'Your work pays well then dear?' Mrs Hudson asked, _must do if she can afford that sort of money a month, _she thought.

'Very well,' Sophie smiled. 'I get a lot of requests for original works and they sell. I do a few exhibitions here and there and the regular money comes from advertising, crappy drawings for greetings cards that kind of thing.' She added. 'The biggest problem is finding a landlord who doesn't mind my madness, my lifestyle. They have to be more than a little accepting.' She sighed and looked to the paper.

Mrs Hudson glanced at the paper again, she looked at the high figure prices Sophie was willing to pay and a thought crossed her mind, she already had one lodger who was mad as a box of frogs, it might be nice to have a woman around the place. 221c couldn't be rented because of damp but the attic in the house was more than equipped for a lodger. Besides Sophie seemed more like she wanted to be mad, rather than she actually was mad. Like she hadn't lost some teenage spirit of rebellion, like she was possibly trying a little too hard to be different.

'Don't suppose you know anyone who needs a lodger and doesn't mind a little bit of madness?' Sophie said.

'Actually dear I might.' Mrs Hudson said. Sophie watched her intently. 'Well, you see I live just next door, and that attic is just going spare, I could use the extra money and well.' She began. Sophie sighed.

'Oh, no look I didn't mean you, I meant someone else, I'm sure your lovely and your house is lovely but really you seem like a nice lady and I'm not a good lodger.' She protested.

'Nonsense dear, you seem perfectly lovely to me. A little bit of normality wouldn't go amiss.' Mrs Hudson replied.

'No really, I'm not a good lodger at all, I mean, I get up to all sorts, besides you don't even know me I could be a serial killer.' Sophie replied politely.

'Well you won't get far next door dear, I live with Sherlock Holmes.' Mrs Hudson replied simply, pouring herself another cup of tea.

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><p><em>'I'll not put up with it!' Sherlock shouted. <em>

_'Well it's not really your…' John began. _

_'Really John? Really?' Sherlock silenced him. _

_'Oh Sherlock she's not that bad, besides she never complains about your violin playing at all hours, or those blasted gun shots.' Mrs Hudson replied busying herself in their apartment tidying up. Sherlock was on his second rant this week about why Mrs Hudson shouldn't have a lodger, he hadn't met her but he'd seen the men and women coming out of there at all hours, or in the early morning, he'd seen the light in his room start to shake a little as the shenanigans above continued. The noises when he was trying to think, when he wanted silence irritated him a lot. It of course had nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that Sherlock liked to use that attic to think in, to map things out, the big clear open space serving him well. _

_'Oh they are real experiments!' Sherlock said loudly in annoyance. John settled himself back in the chair and closed his eyes, him and Mrs Hudson both simply enduring and indulging the rant a little. When Sherlock threw a fit like this it was like watching a child, the man was brilliant, John admired him greatly, but he couldn't half act the part of a toddler when he wanted. _

_'She's a lovely decent girl and she's an artist!' Mrs Hudson said cheerily. 'Oooh you should see the painting she started for me.' She said squeezing John's arm lightly. John shot her a smile earning him a warning look from Sherlock._

_'A string of lovers in and out of her room night after night, decent, really Mrs Hudson! Don't tell me your naïve enough to believe they're anything but.' Sherlock scoffed at her. Mrs Hudson wasn't aware of the amount that actually went on in the rooms upstairs, not at all. Too her Sophie was a nice girl, because when Sophie was around Mrs Hudson she was._

_'Now you listen to me Sherlock Holmes,' Mrs Hudson snapped, tea towel still in her hand as she pointed a finger at him. 'She is a nice girl, a decent girl but we all have our faults.' She looked around the room at this. 'I get to decide who stays in this house, not you so I suggest you keep your temper with me!' _

_That silenced him and John nodded at him a smile crossing his face. _

_'Now about that tea!' Mrs Hudson sat down in the chair and gestured to Sherlock with the tea towel, he looked at her shock etched on his face that he was being told to make tea. He looked from her and then to John expecting him to do it but Mrs Hudson shook her head and he had to cave in. Sherlock had a lot of respect for her. She had become almost a mother figure to him and although he didn't often show it, he cared for her greatly. So when Mrs Hudson told him to make tea in that tone, he didn't tell her to bugger off he simply did it. Although he made a fuss as he did so._

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><p><em><strong>AUTHORS NOTE: So I'm really hoping that chapter wasn't a let down<strong>_, _**obviously in my head I know Sophie and your just getting to know her, but her interactions with Mrs Hudson are going to be quite different then with the outside world. Anyway I hope you enjoyed next is going to be the first time she interacts properly with Sherlock and then some more of her and Lestrade... not decided which order yet though. These first few chapters are going to be kind of out of sync but yeah anyway... =)**_


	3. Chapter 3: Two Face

_**DISCLAIMER: Obviously I don't own what you know already, all I've got are the things I've come up with and the way I've put it together. **_

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><p>Greg Lestrade was having a very bad day, he was annoyed. He'd been home once, his wife finding any excuse to argue with him, to blame him for everything that was going wrong in their marriage. He worked too long. She didn't get the attention she wanted. They didn't have enough money. The truth was she didn't like being married to him anymore, she wanted to be free, but leaving him meant leaving the security of a house and money. She wasn't about to give that up.<p>

He stormed out and went back to that bar. Since his encounter with the mystery woman he'd been back here several times, he'd seen her once or twice but she had paid him no attention. He'd paid her some though, even tried to hit on her, she didn't remember him or was pretending not too, and yet despite his damaged ego he kept going back there. Maybe it was because she'd been the first woman to show him attention in a while.

She was stood almost centre of the dance floor, a black lace dress on that hugged every inch of her, Lestrade took one look at her and shook his head, she was dancing in between two men, hips swaying in time to the music, hands which kept returning to her hair and then running themselves over her curves. She was a tease, she liked the attention she was getting off the men, rather than 50's femme fatale tonight she seemed to be playing 90's slut. Lestrade watched her and let out a small laugh and shook his head in disbelief. She saw him but didn't stop.

'Sorry boys a gals gotta drink.' She said as she left them watching her walk away over to the bar, she stood next to the woman at the bar, she bit down on her lip as she moved next to her Lestrade couldn't hear what she was saying but she was blatantly flirting, the young woman ignored her at first and then seem to become aggravated, storming away from her.

'Prude.' He saw her mouth. She noticed him staring at her.

'Problem?' she winked at his distaste. Lestrade ignored her two could play at that game.

She had drink after drink. Lestrade almost felt sorry for her, maybe it was because he wasn't as drunk as she was. No longer did she exude the same sophistication and sexiness he remembered from the first time he'd seen her, now she was just another desperate girl in a bar. The males were paying too much attention. Lestrade didn't like it, he didn't like the way they were looking at her. The cop in him wanted to throw her in a car and send her on her way home but he was off work now, she was a grown woman who could make her own decisions.

As he came out of the bathroom a short time later he ran into her, she looked at him for a moment and put a hand in front of him.

'You've been watching me,' she slurred a little.

'Excuse me.' He said trying to get passed her.

'You know you're worse than the others out there.' She said, Lestrade stopped and turned to look at her he cocked his head in confusion and she moved close to him, he could smell the alcohol on her breath and she moved her lips so close to his he could feel them as she spoke. 'You're worse because you won't just take what you want, you act disgusted because you don't have the confidence to just grab something.' He could taste the alcohol on her breath and he inhaled as she put a hand on his crotch. Lestrade swatted her away and she stumbled back against the wall as he breathed deeply, she let out a laugh at him but he ignored her.

Lestrade decided to leave. His infatuation with her was based on a fantasy in his head. A fantasy of a blonde haired beautiful stranger who had found him attractive, she had been sexy and sultry, no need to take all her clothes off to become sexy, no need to gyrate on a dance floor. A fantasy which, at the moment he wanted to cling to, especially because his wife barely even looked at him anymore. He wished he remembered more about their night together because that definitely would have been a memory worth keeping. At the moment all he had was flashes.

Lestrade didn't want to look back at her because he wanted to retain that memory. He didn't have much else at the moment. He drove home, he'd drunk barely anything and was sober enough. It wasn't the drink that was distracting him from the drive anyway. The thought of that woman the first time he'd met her when her knees were a little too close to his, when she whispered in his ear and her lips moved seductively as she talked. _Get a grip_ he thought. He breathed deeply before he left the car and went inside to crawl into bed with a woman who barely looked at him and no longer asked how his day was.

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><p>'Hey, John do you have any coffee, I can borrow.' Sophie said catching him as she came down the stairs.<p>

'We might have, come in.' he said gesturing to Sherlock's flat, whose door was usually open.

'It for something I'm working on is all.' She smiled at him.

'It's there!' Sherlock shouted suddenly. Sophie turned around to see Sherlock and an attractive man with greying hair looking at her. She recognised him from somewhere and figured he must have been in the house before. John had gotten used to the way Sophie dressed it had taken him a few days though. If she wasn't in something alluring designed to draw attention to herself she was wearing next to nothing. At first it had surprised him when she had come down the stairs wearing something relatively normal. Today her hair was scraped up, bits of it falling around her face in a fly away fashion. She had faded blue dungaree shorts on with a white too big shirt on underneath, sleeves rolled up and paint all over her. Lestrade watched her, finding the look quite sexy on her.

'What's going on?' she asked.

'Sherlock's convinced that the painting has something to do with a case.' John replied searching the cupboards. Sophie moved into the room and Lestrade muttered a small hi, which seemed lost as she spoke, she didn't recognise him.

'John the cheap and nasty ones Sherlock nearly killed you for buying will do they're not for drinking.' Sophie said as she moved towards the painting. John entered the living room. Sherlock didn't look up, focused on the painting.

'There was a note that said _ensure you get this cleaned and reframed_ that was attached to it when they found the woman, Sherlock's convinced it's a clue.' John said taking a drink from his own cup on the side and seeming thoroughly exasperated. 'Oh sorry.' He said noting the look on Lestrade's face. 'Sophie this is Detective Inspector Lestrade, Lestrade, Sophie. Sophie is an artist, lives upstairs.' He added gesturing to the ceiling as he did.

'Oh John! Lestrade already knows her they've slept together at least once.' Sherlock said offhandedly, 'In fact more than once judging by the expression on his face when she looked at him and didn't recognise him, although that says more about Sophie then it does about you Lestrade. ' Sherlock added.

Sophie looked to him a little confused and a small smirk passed over her face, John stopped confused and a little shocked.

'I don't think, we.' Then she saw the look on Lestrade's face. 'Oh, ok, sorry, if I remembered everyone I slept with I'm sure I'd be as intelligent as Sherlock.' She joked, unfazed by the encounter. She wished she remembered him, he was good looking. She smiled playfully at him, biting her lip.

'Don't be stupid.' Sherlock said. His hands were together the tips of his fingers at his lips in thought.

'So what's taking you so long to figure it out?' Sophie asked.

'Idiotic interruptions are not helping.' Sherlock said annoyance clear in his voice.

'Sherlock!' John scolded lightly. 'The frame doesn't come off.' He added to Sophie. She moved in front of the painting and Lestrade watched her every move, another image of her he could add to his collection, and now a name to put to the face Sophie, Sophie who was different every time he encountered her, surely he had seen her at her worst and her best now, he didn't know which he preferred, the dungaree wearing paint splattered girl before him or the femme fatale in the bar. He knew which side he didn't like, the slutty side. Sophie was a nice name, as bruised as his ego felt by the fact she couldn't remember him, he wanted to show her why she should remember him, he realised he was staring and shook his head slightly.

The painting was a landscape, it had been made to look a lot older then it was, Sophie knew this quite quickly, quicker than Sherlock had. She ran her hand over the textured surface and lightly flicked a nail under one of the larger bumps on the surface. John noted she'd adjusted the way she was moving because there was a stranger in the room, no longer relaxed everything she was doing despite the way she was dressed had become an attempt to be overly sensual again. She kept biting her lip, the way she leaned forward and ran her hands over the texture of the surface. It was Sherlock who had first pointed it out to him but now he couldn't help noticing when she did it. John didn't find Sophie attractive. She was too much, too confident, too hard-nosed for his liking. She tried too hard.

John wanted someone nice and quiet, someone who was, as selfish as it seemed, easy to love. Aesthetically Sophie was pleasing, to the eye but, even then John liked his women a little more natural, a little less curvy.

'There.' Sophie said she scratched at the paint with a nail. 'There's a reason you can't get under the frame I don't think you're supposed too. It's the paint you need to get under. It's painted to look old, which, it isn't, I'm assuming you knew that.' Sherlock nodded looking at her for the first time and watching intrigued as she scratched.

'You'll get the rest of that off with a knife but be careful. You could still damage whatever's underneath.' Sophie smiled. Sherlock had jumped up he was busy looking at the painting working something out. Sophie took the coffee off John and smiled at him. She nodded to Lestrade as she passed to head back upstairs.

'You really don't remember me?' Lestrade asked following her out onto the landing trying to whisper as Sherlock worked, Sophie looked him over coming back down the two steps she had ascended, he was taller than her by an inch or two because she had no shoes on, he was suited, a good suit went a long way on a man, Sherlock was a testament to that. It suited him well, white shirt, dark blue jacket and dark blue pants, she noticed the wedding ring too, noticed that it showed the signs of an unhappy marriage, signs which Sherlock had taught her.

'No, sorry.' She shrugged.

'Really?' Lestrade said again.

'No.' She said but she leant forward so her cheek was almost touching his. 'But maybe you should come around sometime and show me, why, I should remember you.' She whispered, Lestrade felt a shiver run through him and the overwhelming urge to kiss her, her nose grazed his cheek as she moved away from him. She left him looking after her on the stairs as she ascended.

He waited a moment before he returned to Sherlock and John, he knew that his cheeks felt hot, he didn't know whether or not his face had coloured though and he knew that if he went back in with cheeks even a little changed Sherlock would spot it and deduce a number of things from it. He sighed deeply and returned to the living room, Sherlock was busy pacing talking out about the painting as John scratched away with the edge of a spatula at the paint which came away easily. Underneath was another picture, several pictures in fact, of a woman, two women in fact, at various stages in their lives, at the bottom in gold curly writing was written _We Ruled The World_. The final picture was of all the pictures in the photo being burned.

John and Lestrade looked confused examining the pictures but Sherlock threw his hands up in the air his mouth making the familiar excited _O_ shape as he figured out how all the pieces came together.

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><p><em><strong>AUTHORS NOTE: So there still out of sync =P but to be honest we still have to see the first time Sherlock acknowledges her existence and the first time she has a conversation with John which <strong>__**I'm gunna do next and then we can get down to business =) But I thought it would be better to post some more of her and Lestrade first... anyway if you enjoyed please review =) It's a big encouragement!  
><strong>_


	4. Chapter 4: Go Ahead Deduce Me!

_**DISCLAIMER: Obviously I don't own what you know already, all I've got are the things I've come up with and the way I've put it together. **_

_**If you read & enjoy please review =) I know that sounds whiny and desperate but I'd really like to know if you are enjoying it and if it's worth continuing =) and maybe even what you want to see happening or what your curious about... Even if it's just a two word review lol =)  
><strong>_

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><p><em>'Who is it?' Sophie asked trying to right herself, wiping the tears and makeup from under eyes. She breathed deeply trying to sound calm and collected. <em>

_'Sophie, its Sherlock let me in.' He said coolly from the other side of the door. _

_'Not right now Sherlock.' She didn't want to face him, she couldn't. He probably thought she deserved it and that she couldn't contend with right now.  
><em>

_'Sophie, let me in.' He said again a little more firmly this time. She closed her eyes breathed deeply and swallowed. She opened the door a little. Sherlock took one look at her, dishevelled, she'd been crying, despite the fact she tried to hide it the bruise on her cheek larger had developed and was now substantially darker, dried blood on her lips where they were cut, bruises forming on her wrists. _

_'What do you want?' she asked him, her voice uneven. _

_'I'm going to find who did this to you.' He said, but he didn't look at her as he said it he was looking around. 'You need to do this.' He said somewhat awkwardly handing her what looked like a DNA testing kit. Sophie simply nodded at him, knowing exactly what he meant for her to do. 'Where are your clothes?' he asked her calmly. She didn't need to ask him how he planned on testing it, Sherlock had access to a forensic lab whenever he pleased.  
><em>

_'There, there in a bag.' She pointed to a bin bag in the corner and realised her hands were shaking. She balled them into a fist and held them at her side firmly. 'Promise me you won't tell anyone.' She said suddenly. _

_'Sherlock, please.' She said pleading as he didn't answer. He looked at her for a moment dishevelled and a shell of the woman who had left the house that morning. There was no doubt her time at Baker Street had changed her, she was no longer seeking as much attention from the world. She had slowly become a little softer, a little more of herself. She did still like to leave an impression but rather then the five characters she started out as she had narrowed herself down to only two. She had come to be not a friend, Sherlock didn't have friends, bar John of course, but she had come to be a close acquaintance, like Lestrade, like Molly Hooper. Despite the fact he wasn't an emotionally charged man even Sherlock couldn't deny the family like dynamic that had sprung up at Baker Stree between Sophie, John, Mrs Hudson and although it pained him to say it himself. _

_'It's no one else's business, why on earth would I tell them.' He said. _

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><p>The first time John and Sherlock had seen her a rather sheepish looking young woman had come running out of Baker Street, doing as John called it 'the walk of shame'. They had entered realising the visitor running out of Baker Street must have been from their new neighbour. John laughed and shook his head but Sherlock looked indifferent as always.<p>

It was early on a Saturday and they'd just finished at a crime scene. They saw her on the stairs. John's mouth was a little agape at first until Sherlock made some remark about him being a fish. Sherlock glanced over her once and turned not saying anything into the apartment.

'H, hi.' John stammered stumbling forward a little. Throwing a bag over her shoulder she moved down the stairs, black messy tangled hair bouncing around her shoulders, what should have been lingerie thrown on underneath a partway zipped up leather jacket, exposing pale skin yet hiding the curve of her small smooth stomach and short denim shorts exposing long pale legs and black high heels.

'Hi.' She said leaning forward a little and biting her lip at him, light pink lipstick not damaged by the contact from white teeth.

'We're Schon, I mean Sherlon I mean.' He let out a small laugh as she leant against the wall and bent her leg arching her back as he spoke. 'Sorry. I'm John and that was Sherlock.' He righted himself.

'Sophie.' She said holding out a slender hand for him to shake. 'Maybe we can all have coffee sometime.' She smirked at him and moved away. As far as introductions went that was it. There was no doubt she looked nice but John saw her twice more on the stairs and as easy on the eye as she was there was no way in hell he fancied her. She wasn't his type at all. She seemed all skirt and no knickers and John didn't go in for that. John wasn't one to judge but girls like her were not ones he ever wanted to get involved him and it had shocked him a little that Mrs Hudson had allowed someone like that a flat.

They all had tea together once, Mrs Hudson asked Sophie to join them and she did, Sherlock was indifferent towards her, even being a little ruder than usual. John however found his opinions on her changed a little, his judgements and distaste at her lifestyle originally were somewhat numbed when he watched her converse with Mrs Hudson and he found she was actually rather normal, or as normal as one staying at Baker Street could be.

He found himself having tea with them from time to time when Sherlock was being overly annoying, one afternoon when he got back, Sherlock had proceeded to explain and deduce everything about Sophie too him. John wasn't really listening though, merely nodding. Sherlock hadn't really encountered Sophie on her own until one afternoon when he was frustrated and annoyed on a case.

'The code, what is the code!' Sherlock said to himself hitting his own head of messy hair in annoyance.

'Need some help?' Sophie asked sticking her head in the door intrigued, hair clipped to the side of her face, slouchy jeans on, she was bored, she'd been painting.

'I fail to see how you could help.' Sherlock scoffed at her.

'You never know.' Sophie shrugged. Sherlock sighed and flung himself back onto the couch in annoyance.

'I highly doubt you're going to be able crack a simple phone code when I can't.' he said, arrogant as ever. He paid her no attention he showed her indifference which was something new for Sophie, something she didn't really like but was getting used to at Baker Street. After she'd realised none of them really cared about the way she looked and were indifferent to her actions she had taken to not dressing up indoors or parading around in next to nothing -which Mrs Hudson had scolded her for several times- now, shirts and jeans or shorts were a usual thing especially when she was painting.

'Don't you have people you can take this too?' she asked curiously picking up the phone. She examined it for a moment.

'If I did do you think I would be sat here trying to figure out the code?' Sherlock replied, he looked at her as though she was stupid.

'If this is part of a case shouldn't you hand that thing to the police?' Sophie asked, Sherlock shot her a look and she closed her mouth and rolled her eyes. She looked over the phone for a moment as Sherlock ignored her presence muttering under his breath about birthdays, and children and the woman's date of marriage.

'There.' Sophie handed him the phone unlocked. Sherlock looked at her completely bemused, how had _she_ done that? He had spent hours thinking up combinations of birthdays and something to do with the victims children and nothing. 'Now I'll leave you to solve your case.' She said and she walked out of the flat and disappeared upstairs.

Sherlock followed her though, wanting to know how she had known. He didn't stop to knock on the door to the attic space that had been converted into a flat, instead he marched right in. There was no bedroom. Her bed was pushed against the wall which on one side housed the bathroom and the other a closet space which was open with clothes hanging all over it. There were painted canvases strewn around, an untidy desk piled high with books, an easel and a chair, and a high slanted desk used for drawing at. Sherlock wouldn't have imagined it looking like this. There were a few ornaments around but it was mainly books and art work and clothes and a few wigs strewn around, she wasn't the tidiest of people.

She was lay in the middle of the floor by the time he'd entered, on a weather beaten rug, her toes moving in time to the sixties music she had playing in the background.

'How did you know?' he asked her. She opened her eyes and looked at him in the doorway. He moved and started looking around the room at all her things, fiddling with the books, running his hands over them, the phone still in one of his hands.

'Figure it out.' She shrugged and closed her eyes again head swaying in time to the music. Sherlock noticed an aging record player which was where the music was coming from.

'How?' he said again as he crossed the room to examine the collection of LP's he was impressed at the range of her musical tastes, from classical and operatic too classic pop and rock amongst other things.

'Here.' She held out a hand for the phone and Sherlock passed it to her she stood up and stood next to him. 'Look.' She said, she held the phone up to the light and tilted it slightly. Sherlock was frustrated, what was he supposed to be… his mouth formed a small _O_ he'd been so busy focusing on actually figuring out the code he hadn't thought to look for signs of the codes input. There were greasy finger marks on the phone in several places but four were more prominent then the others.

'How?' he asked her again.

'I watch a lot of cop shows, murder mysteries.' She shrugged offhandedly. 'And I've seen the way you work.' She smirked and sat back down on the carpet.

'You expect me to believe you learnt that off a television programme.' Sherlock said deadpan.

'Well a combination of things really, plus I have a similar phone and greasy fingermarks are a bitch to get off, it was a lucky guess because she clearly didn't clean it much.' She shrugged. 'Come on then Sherlock deduce me, I know that's something you've been wanting to do for a while.' She said a small laugh rolling off her.

Sherlock looked at her for a moment. She was taunting him. Thinking he couldn't, Sherlock looked around her room and then back to her. Things were much clearer about her now. She raised an eyebrow at him, cocking her head slightly and smirking at him, daring him to.

'Where to start?' He asked. 'Firstly, your rarely yourself, aside from when your with Mrs Hudson, music is a big key part of the real you as is your artwork. You have five main characters you like to be to the outside world that's evident from the clothes. There's the femme fatale, the slut, the tomboy, the innocent and the damaged or the victim. The femme fatale is for seduction when you want people fawning over you. The slut is for when you loathe yourself, the tomboy when you want to make friends but still appear somewhat sexually appealing, the innocent part of you is intriguing and the damaged victim is when you want people to look at you and wonder what happened, wonder how you got the cuts or bruises and you almost want someone to attempt to save you. It's all about leaving an impression on an audience.' He said pointing to outfits in turn. 'You either want people to hate you or love you, maybe you've been rejected before so you want the extremes of either. Either way you want people to look at you, you have a need to know your alive which is why you do it. You're very easy to pull apart you know. Very obvious' He said a bored tone crossing his voice.

'The bottles of alcohol should scream alcoholic but you've not touched a drop today which says something else, all the bottles have lipstick on them, coupled with the fact that you rarely have any visitors in the day, yet you have frequent visitors at night I would say you've not had sex sober in a long time. You like the attention you get at the bars and you probably like the sex, you just don't want to remember it though because you don't want to place attachment on a person, which being able to remember an encounter might lead to. Music however and the books tell a different story to the one you portray. You seem to have a thirst for knowledge which is evident from the way you're watching me, the music is also probably the only thing you're attached to.' Sherlock said quickly, Sophie was watching him in awe and she looked away sheepish when she realised she was staring.

'You are what one could call a walking illusion. Except you're not because almost everyone you run into sees through it. The only time the world gets a glimpse of the real you is when people act indifferent to you and you relax, which is not often because you have hardly, if any friends.' He added. Sophie scoffed at him.

'So you think you and John have seen it because you act indifferent?' She let out a small laugh.

'I don't think, I know.' Sherlock said deadpan, Sophie scoffed at him again. She felt uncomfortable, she'd expected most of what he'd said but the alcohol and sex thing made her uncomfortable because the truth hurts.

'Not everything. You think you can tell everything from a person from one meeting, from a glance at their flat.' Said Sophie a little angrily, she let out a vicious laugh.

'This isn't just your flat though, it's also your workspace and your bedroom.' Sherlock said gesturing to the bed. She was breathing deeply, angry, she wanted him out, nobody knew her not one of them and him claiming to was annoying her. She was going to scream at him to get out but he would have been expecting that.

'Well, now you know how I unlocked the phone, if you wouldn't mind I have some work I need to be getting on with.' She said politely. Voice even trying to appear normal, even though inside there was something screaming in her to tell him to go fuck himself and throw him down the stairs.

'Certainly!' He smiled sarcastically at her and walked out of the room. Sophie closed the door after that and put the bolt on so he couldn't get back in, he didn't know her. Sophie didn't know why she was so annoyed. If she was honest nothing of what Sherlock had said was a judgement of her it was simply fact. Admitting that it was a fact though meant admitting how alone she was, how she wished she wasn't and she couldn't deal with those feelings with that pain.

'Oh I may have accidentally pissed of our neighbour.' Sherlock said to John as he stood in the kitchen making tea. John looked at him curiously. 'She asked me to 'deduce' her and I did.' Sherlock said not bothering to look up from the laptop.

John rolled his eyes in annoyance, he was quite enjoying the tea and jam he had with Mrs Hudson and Sophie from time to time. It was a time when Sophie was very genuine and seemed to act more normally than ever because of Mrs Hudson's effect on her. She'd ask her question after question fascinated as Mrs Hudson regaled stories to them of her youth. Now he was wondering if Sophie would assume that whatever Sherlock had said John thought too.

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><p><em><strong>Now let me know if you enjoyed please =)<strong>_


	5. Chapter 5: Birthday Treats!

_**DISCLAIMER: Obviously I don't own what you know already, all I've got are the things I've come up with and the way I've put it together. **_

_**This chapter gets rather dirty towards the end and it's by first attempt at writing something like that... well sort of.. so be kind lol Been rather nervous about posting but yeah=P As always if you enjoy review... **_

_**Also this chapters quite long sorry... lol =)  
><strong>_

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><p>Greg was doing the dutiful rounds when he saw her, the pub had two levels, the upper looked onto the lower and was a lot classier, the upper half was a lot more expensive to hire too so his party was taking place downstairs. At first he was shocked, what the hell was she doing at his birthday party. Then he was confused, she hadn't been on the guest list and then he felt a little happy, since the encounter on Sherlock's stairs when she didn't remember him, he'd spotted her hanging around in Baker Street several times, he was intrigued by her, interested, in all honesty he had a bit of a thing for her. That still didn't explain her presence at his birthday party though.<p>

She wore a long red dress, it was tight around her middle as though it had been wrapped and tailored just to her, a single strap over one shoulder whose detailing crossed and snaked its way down her front, stopping at the split which started just below the top of her thigh, exposing long pale legs with high thick red heels on. She hadn't spotted him yet. She was leaning on the railing, biting her lip and observing the room. Ginger hair had been curled with rollers so it looked 1940's style, her lips were ruby red and her eyes were smoky. She had a diamond necklace around her neck and Greg wondered if someone had given it too her, a present, maybe a lover. She descended the stairs to the right, purposefully sultry. He was more than a little shocked when Sherlock appeared at the side of her and they descended the stairs together. Greg continued the rounds of friends and family best he could trying to ignore her and feeling a little guilty that his wife was stood over the other side of the room, yet all he could think about was Sophie, about how he'd like to get under that dress and smudge that lipstick, how smooth the skin of her thigh would feel under his hands. He downed his drink and shook his head.

His birthday hadn't been amazing so far, his wife had planned this stupid party months ago, it was all for show, if he was honest he would have preferred a few drinks after work. He had to wonder whether the reason he was having a party in the first place was because he'd called her on where she'd been so late and when he asked her whether she was having an affair, she got all huffy instead and told him she was planning a surprise party. At the time he had accepted it, believed it, but looking back now he didn't believe it. She'd thrown a card at him before she left for work not even a kiss or cuddle. She had put a gift on the kitchen table and breakfast, a pair of cufflinks and a pen, expensive but impersonal. The previous night when he'd tried to snuggle up to her, to kiss her neck, she'd shrugged him off. So between the lack of sex, the mediocre presents, and the party he didn't want to go too it wasn't working out amazingly.

'You brought her?' John said to Sherlock as Sophie made her way to the bar, attracting the attention of a few people at the party. 'You seriously thought that would be a good idea?' he hissed at him.

'I needed her help.' Sherlock said not looking at John. Instead he watched Sophie, watched the reactions of people around her, Sherlock didn't feel sorry or guilty that he was using her 'characters' and Sophie to get what he needed, he certainly didn't feel guilty that he was feeding her delusions about the effect she had on a room, which despite what Sophie liked to believe wasn't a lot.

'And you didn't think bringing her, here, to this party, knowing whose party it is might be just a little awkward?' John hissed throwing his hands up.

'Awkward for who exactly?' Sherlock asked eyes darting around the room, 'Oh' was all he muttered as he realised, his expression the same as ever.

'Yes well I didn't bring her here to party.' Sherlock replied. He shot Mrs Hudson and John's new girlfriend a smile as they approached.

'She looks beautiful doesn't she?' Mrs Hudson gestured too Sophie.

'Hi.' Molly Hooper smiled walking over to them, she looked different, she had dressed to impress, the dress she had on was supposed to enhance her features and compensate for others.

Sophie moved away from the bar, back to Sherlock and the others and handed him a drink, he leaned in close to her face and whispered something into her ear, causing her to smirk and giggle. Molly and John's faces contorted in confusion and for Molly a little jealousy.

'You must be John's girlfriend.' Sophie said a smirk crossing her lips as she held out a hand to shake.

'Yes, Charlie.' The woman shook Sophie's hand. She held out one to Sherlock and he ignored it. John shook his head in apology.

'I'm going back to the bar.' Sophie said winking at Sherlock, which earned them both suspicious looks. Sherlock leaned into her again and whispered something into her ear, she nodded at him and tapped his nose.

'Come on dear let's go and find a seat.' Mrs Hudson said to Molly nodding to John's girlfriend. They followed her leaving Sherlock and John alone.

'So, you and Sophie.' John said hands in his pockets, not really knowing how he should be acting in the situation.

'Don't be stupid.' Sherlock said deadpan.

'What?' John replied.

'Don't be stupid.' Sherlock pulled him aside feeling thoroughly annoyed he had to explain himself. 'The killer is in here, somewhere John. A member of the force, what better way to find them then a party.' Sherlock said marvelling at his own brilliance.

'So you're using her as bait!' John cried in annoyance and distaste.

'Don't be stupid John, have you not been paying attention to this case at all, no.' Sherlock paused for a moment and then smirked. 'I'm the bait.' He smiled at him.

'Can you not just have one night off? This is supposed to be a birthday party.' Said John.

'Yes a birthday party Lestrade never wanted and his wife only came up with to cover her tracks. What better opportunity could I have.' Sherlock replied as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

'How can you be sure there here, how can you be sure they'd want you as a victim.' John hissed at him looking around the room and giving Lestrade a nod of acknowledgement.

'Think!' Sherlock said to him. John watched him for a moment. 'Your almost there John, a killer who wants to save the souls of their victims, by keeping them innocent from one thing or another, the first a young boy just coming into his sexuality, out clubbing, looking for his first, killed before he commits another sin. The Second a housewife out for a good time, about to go into a club, about to do drugs for the first time, the third a young girl first night out ever first taste of alcohol she would have. All the victims connection they were firsts, they've also all been interviewed at the station at some point, all asked whether they had done any of these things before in their interviews. I'm not stupid John I know what idle gossip has gone around that station about me, so the killer must have heard too.' Sherlock said, then it dawned on John why Sherlock was using himself as bait, they had never discussed whether or not he actually was a virgin, it had never come up in conversation but John had heard the rumours about Sherlock and his virginity and so must the killer, there were also stories of Sophie coming into a room of officers wearing next to nothing one afternoon when Sherlock's flat was being searched. Sophie had to be seen to be corrupting Sherlock, whether it was true or not, the killer wouldn't know.

'I'll have a, screaming orgasm.' Sophie said eyes widening on the word orgasm she bit her lip at the young man behind the bar amused by his nervousness. She'd already taken two shots from him and she didn't know which made him more uncomfortable.

'You know he's a freak right and more frigid than a corpse.' Anderson said nastily from a little up the bar.

'You must be Anderson, Sherlock was right about you, when you open your mouth you really do lower the IQ of the street.' Sophie retorted.

'Better an idiot then a whore.' Anderson replied.

'Doesn't change the fact Sherlock is right.' Sophie said nastily. She heard a small laugh from behind her and turned to face the other direction of the bar. Greg Lestrade, she felt a little awkward, being here on his birthday, uninvited his wife in the same room. She refused to show it though. Sherlock had already told her all about Lestrade's wife, which made her instantly dislike the woman, however hypocritical that was. However messed up Sophie was, once she was in a relationship with someone, she didn't stray.

Greg was looking good tonight, matching jacket and pants that were a dark blue, a light blue shirt underneath open at the collar. She looked him over and let a small smile pass over her face.

'I'm terribly sorry if I've made things a little awkward with my presence tonight. Sherlock didn't tell me it was your birthday party and unfortunately I didn't bring you a present.' She said leaning into him a little, she looked at him from under her eyelashes and Greg had to remind himself that his wife was across the room, she was now looking at them intrigued.

'Your wife's watching us isn't she, wondering who I am, wondering if you're having an affair, wondering if you find me attractive, well no that's a given. I'll bet she's worried, because if you have your own affair, you might decide to leave her. Then she'd be out on her arse in the cold because we all know that house is yours.' She said, hand inches from his, he swallowed hard, he'd almost forgotten for a moment that they were in a room full of other people. He wanted to kiss her, have her on the bar, he wanted in that moment to take her anywhere but here.

'I meant what I said though Inspector. ' Sophie said moving a little closer to him so she was almost touching him. She swallowed, 'Maybe you should come around and show me why I should have remembered you.' She licked her lips a little, tongue parting them slightly it seemed to linger on her bottom lip until it was replaced by her teeth. He could feel electricity in the air between them. He wanted to move his hands away because he knew if they touched he'd want to rip that dress off her. Yet he left them there, enjoying the sensation, the tingling on his skin.

Sherlock appeared at her side and coughed, Sophie turned her attention to him instead, she ran a hand down over his arm. Sherlock swatted her away but she moved in closer to him, running hands over his back a finger down the side of his cheek. 'Do you think we're giving them enough of a show?' she whispered into his ear. Greg was definitely confused and a little jealous. Sherlock didn't even like women did he? He certainly didn't think he'd know what to do with one, not one like Sophie anyway.

'Definitely.' Sherlock replied.

Sophie circulated the room a little, she was trying to ensure the killer, whoever they were knew just how promiscuous she was, how sexually active she was, that she would corrupt Sherlock. She wasn't getting half the attention she believed she was of course, she felt like all eyes were on her though, that was important because the more she felt everyone was watching the more she acted and that's what Sherlock needed.

It was sometime later when Sophie disappeared up the stairs, every step she moved the red fabric falling around her pale legs, showcasing a black satin garter half way up her thigh, Greg decided maybe he should take her up on her offer. He'd had a few beers now and whilst not tipsy he still felt more confident than he had before. Surely he deserved something nice for his birthday.

Sophie decided to use the bathrooms upstairs, they were supposed to be closed off, a sign in front of them but for a start she liked the way her legs looked as she moved up the stairs and she liked to imagine that people were watching her as she ascended and then as she came back down them, adoration or lust or jealousy in their eyes. The toilets upstairs were also clean, cleaner then she would have expected in a bar, they were pristine, a tiled floor that shined reflecting her as she walked. Two stalls and a sink, upstairs was a lot classier then downstairs as though the owners were trying to appeal to a wider market. Sophie decided to explore a little before she returned, curious as to why the party had been held in the dirty traditional pub downstairs rather then up here.

There were three business suites the largest of which she entered curiously looking around. It hadn't been used much, that was evident from the dust.

Sophie heard the click of the door closing behind her and saw, Greg stood at the door a drink in his hand. 'Escaping the party?' he asked her looking up sheepishly.

'Wouldn't dream of it.' She said eyes wide, Greg watched as she breathed in deeply, distracted by the look of her chest moving up and down he let out a small laugh and shook his head. What was he playing at? What was he expecting?

She moved toward him, one foot in front of the other purposefully swaying her hips and ensuring each step showed off her legs in those heels.

'Maybe the question we should be asking.' She said getting close to him putting a finger to his chest. 'Is why you're escaping your own party?' Her thigh was between his legs and her lips were so close to his but not quite touching. 'Inspector.' She spoke and it sent a shiver through Greg's spine. He wanted to take her right there and then, throw her against the wall and make her beg for mercy.

She hovered for a moment and then kissed him, pushing him against the wall. Greg couldn't do this could he? What if someone came in, bloody Sherlock Holmes was downstairs as well, he'd know, instantly, probably. Fuck! Why was he thinking about Sherlock when her teeth were on his neck, grazing it lightly as her hands tried to get his shirt undone.

'I can't, I should…' Greg began but it was lost as he let out a low moan when Sophie's hand found the prominent bulge now sitting hard in his trousers.

'We both know why you followed me in here detective.' She said into his ear as her hand moved over the now taut fabric. Her tongue flicked his ear on detective and Greg let out an involuntary noise. 'Besides,' she whispered flicking his belt out of its loop with ease and unbuttoning the trousers 'It doesn't seem fair, that you can't have something nice on your birthday.' She bit down on his ear lobe and Greg's head fell back against the door, one hand sprang him from his trousers whilst the other was busy elsewhere.

Sophie kissed, nibbled and licked her way down his stomach her lips surprisingly not leaving a red trail of lipstick. Greg leant his head against the wall. He could hear the music from the party outside drifting up the stairs. He could smell traces of her perfume in the air around him. The hard wood of the wall against his back as he arched a little at her touch, at her nails, mouth and teeth moving down over his chest and stomach. Greg looked down in surprise when he felt something cool pressing down onto the head of his cock, he was torn between ecstasy and curiosity as she took him into her mouth, she pulled back to reveal she'd put a condom on with her tongue, now that was a trick Greg could get used to and she was safe which was always a bonus the sensible part of him quipped. He raised an eyebrow at her as she looked up at him from smoky eyes a filthy smirk on her red lips. She licked one long trail up the underside of his shaft and Greg shuddered.

Sophie smirked as a yes formed on his lips as she took him into her mouth again, Greg knew he wasn't going to last long, over the past couple of weeks he'd lost count of the times he'd had to use his own hand in fantasising over her. Not understanding whether it was a genuine attraction or just because she was the first woman he'd been with outside of his marriage. That was something he still didn't understand but right now he didn't care. Another involuntary moan from him and he could feel Sophie smiling against him enjoying the control and power she held. He stared down at her for a moment as she stopped and held him there in her mouth, lust and power in her eyes, his hands were scratching at the door because he didn't know what else to do with them.

Sophie didn't touch herself or moan she just stayed on her knees watching, enjoying how much pleasure Greg was getting from her touch from her mouth.

'Fuck.' Greg said. 'I'm not going to last long.' He breathed, he was expecting her to want to fuck because he knew he did, he wanted to bend her over and take her hard and fast. He put a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to stop her so they could move so he could get his teeth into that pale neck and leave his mark. Sophie batted his hand away though. Instead she put both of her hands on his backside, his pants weren't quite down and her hands were half on his skin and half off her fingernails digging into his cheeks as she pulled him towards her and he got the message loud and clear. He thrust a little into her throat a hand on her shoulder. She put a hand on his stomach, running long red fingernails over his chest, causing him to jerk and throw his head back, she seemed to enjoy the fact he couldn't control himself and the way he was looking at her.

'Oh fuck.' Greg couldn't hold on much longer, his pace quickened and he scrabbled at something to hold onto not wanting to mess up her hair, he settled for a hand on her shoulder as Sophie matched his pace, Greg threw his head back, banging it against the wall and letting out a yes and a fuck. Then as he cleaned himself up leaning against the wall for support, she checked her make up in the small compact she carried she wiped the corners of her mouth, shot him a smirk and opened the door with a click.

His boxers were up but his pants weren't fastened, Greg was confused for a moment, was she expecting him to follow her to turn up on her doorstep. He fastened his belt quickly and then leant back against the wall and rubbed his eyes feeling guilt and a little ashamed of himself. He rubbed his fingers through his hair seeming to realise what had just happened. He was torn, genuinely feeling a little bad, despite the fact his wife was being a bitch and probably screwing around herself she was still his wife. Yet at the same time he wanted to go downstairs tell Sophie to get her coat and take hers where he'd show her exactly why she should remember him, just the thought caused a knot in his stomach the feel of her fingernails on his chest still lingering. He buttoned himself up and walked out of the room.

He returned to the party only just managing to supress the smile dancing across his face when he looked at Sophie and feeling annoyed when her hands fluttered over Sherlock's shirt, when one of them was on the shoulder of his brother in law.

The guilt Greg felt was eased somewhat when he returned home after the party, his wife who had kissed him and danced with him at the party in front of everyone changed her tune as soon as they got in. She gave him the cold shoulder, turning away from him and shrugging him off when he tried to kiss her, informing him that he knew where the bathroom was if he was that desperate.

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><p><em><strong>Now let me know if you enjoyed please =)<strong>_


	6. Chapter 6: Bad Days, Get Better!

_**DISCLAIMER: Obviously I don't own what you know already, all I've got are the things I've come up with and the way I've put it together. **_

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><p>'You got that list of things you want me to get? You know to save the hip?' Sophie asked bounding into the small kitchen area in the downstairs of Baker Street, John and Lestrade lay in wait for Sherlock and she gave them both a small nod of acknowledgement. Lestrade felt himself become a little hot under the collar, was she purposefully biting on her thumb like that or was he reading things wrong. It had been three weeks since his birthday, three long weeks. Long weeks that consisted of trying to work harder to distract himself from the fact his wife had moved into the spare room, to distract himself from the man's tie, that didn't belong to him, which he had found next to ruffled sheets of their martial bed. Long weeks in which he had seen Sophie, glimpsed her but not had the balls to ask her to dinner. Would a girl like Sophie even want dinner? The image of her knelt before him red lipped, smirking, hands on his chest, would creep up on him unawares in the day and he'd have to wait until he got home to deal with the effect those images had.<p>

For the first time in a long while Lestrade actually wanted to get to know a woman, he wanted to find out her likes and dislikes in and outside of the bedroom and he wanted to make her lose control, just as she had made him. What his wife was doing still made him feel awful but he could feel the care he had for it ebbing away, no longer hurt, he was angry if anything at the fact she had the cheek to do what she was doing.

'I do wish you'd put a few more clothes on dear you'll catch your death.' Mrs Hudson said in passing as she handed Sophie a list, she tried to hand her some money but Sophie waved it off.

'Then who would people stare at Mrs Hudson?' Mrs Hudson simply shook her head and John rolled his eyes at Lestrade. 'Anybody else, want anything.' Was that a lingering look on Lestrade as she asked them, did she lick her lips again? Was he imagining this, outside of the encounters they hadn't spoken and yet Lestrade felt so much tension when he was in Baker Street that it took a great deal of restraint for him not to simply grab her and kiss her.

Lestrade realised he was staring and stopped himself. Hoping no one had noticed. Lestrade had her number but he'd not dared to use it, he'd gotten it off a business card of hers. He supposed it was the effect his wife's affairs had left on him, he was never overly confident when he was younger anyway, always thought he was better looking than some of the other men he knew and he knew he was a decent bloke. His wife had once made him feel wanted. She used to kiss him with a passion that gave him confidence. She used to care whether he came home late or not and wanted to know if he'd danced with any girls. The jealous streak used to give his ego a boost, a boost that said he was a man who women wanted. Now though she made him feel like he was as bad as the criminals he locked up.

Sophie half wished Lestrade didn't come to Baker Street as much as he did, she liked the way he looked at her, she enjoyed it a little more than the usual attention she got, maybe because she knew the usual attention wasn't all that she thought it was and that only lasted for a night. She had entertained the idea of sex with him. Generally she tried to block it out, same as she had that night. It didn't bode well to form fictional attachments to people.

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><p>Sophie sat in the bar a day or so later, she drank enough so that it warmed her up, alcohol rushing through her blood and making her evermore confident. She'd seen off two people though, neither of them taking her fancy. Her phone buzzed again in her bag and she ignored it, no one ever phoned her, no one ever texted her, not when she was out, except for now, she knew who it was and ignored it. She looked around the bar again, it was dead. No one she would want to have in her bed later on anyway, no one who looked at her a mix of awe and lust in their eyes. She was bored already and she'd only been there an hour. She half wished that she had a friend with her, someone to share the alcohol, someone to dance with. She crushed that wish, that thought before it was even formed with another two drinks.<p>

Her phone buzzed again, she opened her bag and finding it looked at the number, same number it had been the past few days.

_Hi, Greg Lestrade here, is this the right number for Sophie?_

Sophie let out a small laugh, she could sense the awkwardness of it from the way it was worded. It was kind of cute. She looked around the bar again, it was a Wednesday evening and it didn't seem like her night was going to get any better here so she closed her phone, threw it back into her bag and downed her drink.

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><p>Greg rubbed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and his fingers. He was stressed after having to deal with Anderson after Sherlock had taken over his lab. That was something he doubted he'd wish on his worst enemy. Between that and the fact his wife had brought another man home last night, (sneaking him out this morning as Greg slept in the tiny spare room, thinking he couldn't hear), he wasn't exactly feeling chipper. A mountain of paperwork sat on the floor next to his desk something that needed doing. His head ached a little. He just wanted to sit down and relax for a minute maybe break down. Just for a moment. His life was going down the tube at the moment, slowly but still going there and Sherlock commenting on every little thing didn't help. He was so grateful when he entered the office that he'd had the blinds fitted around the outer glass, not that there were many left in the office to see him. Only Charlie a rather young trainee who always had headphones in too loud and the cleaning ladies remained. He still didn't want them to see him have his little moment though.<p>

Greg walked in, shut the blinds and leant against the door rubbing his forehead again, which was when he noticed the chair turning slowly to face him.

'How did you get in here?' his eyes raked over her hungrily, he liked this look on her a lot, this 40's/50's thing she had going on. He'd hadn't thought about what he liked on a woman in a long time but this he definitely liked and so it seemed did his body. She wore a dark brown faux fur coat, which came to just above her knee exposing those long pale legs which were clad in black suspenders. Her hair was black today, pity he preferred it ginger, it had been rolled again but was clipped up behind her head out of her face. A thin line of eyeliner on each eye, thick lashes making her eyes wide, clearer and that red lipstick.

'Your security is rather lax.' She smirked at him fingers dancing along the edge of the desk as she moved in front of it, she stood confidently legs a little apart. She undid the belt around the coat slowly, enjoying the look on his face. Greg found she wasn't just having an effect on his body either, he suddenly felt more confident in himself, younger, attractive, a swell of pride and the need too take charge rushing into his head.

'Oh by the way,' She said shifting her weight and leaning a little on one side. 'I got your text.' She undid one button for each word. Letting the coat fall open to reveal lacy black underwear, stockings, suspenders and nothing more, Greg's eyes went wide and his body reacted, pants tightening, fingers flexing ready to touch that body, a tingling of excitement in his stomach, all those fantasies in his head came rushing forward and the feelings of euphoria to accompany them. She beckoned him forward with her finger and he didn't waste much time, as he neared her she grabbed his jacket and pulled him into her, his hands didn't know where they wanted to go first but seemed to decide that one cupping her face and one grazing the side of her waist was best. His hand skimmed over the soft flesh leaving a tingly trail, as his lips found hers, he pushed her against the desk a little roughly, the edge of it digging into her back uncomfortably. Greg's hands ran over her smooth skin and as he kissed her he could smell the sweet powder of her make up. He could smell sweet perfume she was wearing and it made him kiss her harder. He could feel her reacting to him, pressing herself against him her fingers gripping the edge of the table hard and letting out a moan as he nibbled on her neck. Knee's going a little weak and the gasp every time his fingers moved over certain spots.

Sophie's hands had found their way into his hair as he kissed her passionately, eliciting a moan from her, he liked that sound, he kissed a line from her earlobe down her neck and found she arched into him when he did, her thigh lifted a little and his hand grabbed it as he pushed her onto the desk. Her hands began to work their way down his body tugging at his belt, and he didn't stop her as she undid the buttons on his shirt and pulled him close her nails began to sink their way into his back and she wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him close, he could feel heat coursing through his own body, he could hear his own pulse in his ears, the sound of his own breathing and hers, she was a lot more vocal then he imagined moaning into his ear as he moved back to the spot that evoked the loudest moan on her neck. 'Shhh…' he breathed.

Greg let out a growl into her neck, nibbling and biting at it, causing another arch and another moan from Sophie. He liked that noise, he liked that arch. He liked the way he could feel her legs tighten around him, how when she pulled him closer so their bodies were touching like it was some sort of drug she was craving. Greg didn't know how long he could last, his own hand just didn't compare to the real thing. He had thought about this a lot over the past two weeks.

Sophie sneaked something out of her bra and smirked at him, Greg felt a shudder of pleasure run through him, he was aching to be inside her as he unclipped her hair and ran his fingers through it, she slipped off the desk and dipped down in front of him and yanked his pants around his ankles, Greg felt the same cool sensation again and hissed inwardly throwing his head back as she took him into her mouth. She sucked and then kissed the tip leaving a trail of kisses up his body her hair tickling his skin as she moved. She nibbled at his ear lobe her hand trailing over his chest.

'Turn around.' He said gruffly the stubble on his chin grazing her cheek. Greg felt every muscle in his body tighten as she obeyed, shrugging the coat off. Her perfume filled the air along with the distinct smell of smoke. He could almost taste it like the hit of some forbidden drug. Sophie felt his soft fingers slide the lace over her thighs and the knickers drop around her ankles onto the floor as she bent over pressing herself against the desk. Greg ran a finger down her spine and watched her shiver as he positioned himself behind her. She tried to press herself against him as he ran another finger down her spine.

'Say it.' Greg muttered into her ear as he readied himself.

'Please.' Sophie said a little breathlessly. 'Please,' she said a little louder pushing onto him.

Greg was glad she obliged so quickly, he entered her and waited a moment as she let out a breathless fuck. He leaned onto her and bit onto her shoulder, a mixture of smoke and perfume on her skin as he nibbled on her shoulder, causing him to push deeper into her and Sophie to let out a moan and arch her back.

'Shhh…' he said as he ran his nose up the curve of her spine, causing another moan which she muffled, as his breath tickled her spine. Slowly he began to rock in and out of her, it wasn't going to take him long, god she felt good, she made him feel good, she wanted him, she didn't want some young toned and tanned muscle bound idiot she wanted him. She arched her back pressing onto him trying to make him speed up, she was close he could hear it in her moans.

Greg picked up the pace gripping the smooth soft flesh of her hips and moving quickly, he felt her tighten around him and moments later he threw his head back eyes closed as Sophie shook a little underneath him, he opened his eyes and breathed deeply, he licked his lips a little and let out a smile, a small out of breath laugh, he leant forward and ran his nose up her spine eliciting a final shiver before he moved away from her to clean himself up.

He watched her as she remained still for a moment, breathing deeply onto her hand before she righted herself. She pulled the coat back on and Greg moved around so he was stood in front of her, Sophie sighed deeply and ran her fingers through her hair when she looked up Greg was in front of her again, before she could button up the coat he pulled her towards him and kissed her, once, twice, three times and then put his forehead and nose against hers a smile crossing his face.

It felt familiar and homely, as though this was a regular occurrence. It was a small gesture that gave the impression they were more than just fleeting ships passing in the night, it was one of those small gestures which was powered by feelings.

Sophie pushed against his chest and buttoned her coat up quickly.

'I have to go,' she said quickly. She said flicking her hair out and not bothering to wait for a reaction.

'Sophie… Hang on!' Greg shouted but she was out of the door and halfway through the station before he'd even gotten half the buttons on his shirt done up. Greg felt frustrated again, annoyed, a little bruised. A little used if he was honest. He slammed the door hard causing Charlie too look up from his computer at the other end of the room. He sat down holding his fingers on the bridge of his nose again.

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><p><em><strong>Now let me know if you enjoyed please =)<strong>_


	7. Chapter 7: Envy

_**DISCLAIMER: Obviously I don't own what you know already, all I've got are the things I've come up with and the way I've put it together. **_

_**It's taken me a long while to update and I'm sorry about that! I wanted to try and balance out the sex a little. Sex in the case of this fic is important because it shows shifts in feelings and attitudes. **_

_**Or at least I'm hoping that's the way it's going to come across. Anyway just to warn you this chapter has mentions of suicide.  
><strong>_

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><p>'Oh John, why would she want to do that to herself, I don't understand she always seems so happy.' Mrs Hudson said.<p>

'What on earth are you doing in here?' Sherlock said bustling up the stairs.

'Oh Sherlock it was terrible.' Mrs Hudson said busying herself in Sophie's kitchen. Sophie was asleep on her sofa, hair a mess and looking distinctly worse for wear.

Sherlock looked around awaiting an explanation.

'Sophie tried to kill herself before.' John said his eyes straying back to Sherlock for a moment.

'Are you sure about that?' Sherlock asked his long pale fingers were tracing their way over several canvases looking at them intently. He looked around and his eyes found the camcorder which had been forgotten in all the kerfuffle.

'Sherlock we found her out of it pills and alcohol around. I've had to stick my fingers down her throat before the ambulance arrived.' Said John annoyed.

'Are you sure?' Sherlock repeated examining things. John simply looked at him exasperated. For an intelligent man he couldn't half be cold sometimes.

'I mean are you sure she was trying to kill herself?' Sherlock asked.

'It didn't look like an accident Sherlock.' Mrs Hudson said.

'Then why did they send her home so quickly? Usually these things take a lot longer. Don't tell me John she gave you puppy dog eyes and said she needed to get out of there desperately. Something about hospitals and not liking them, then of course you pulled rank so she could come home.'

Sophie stirred on the sofa. She groaned and rubbed her fingers over her forehead. She looked concerned like she wasn't where she was supposed to be. She looked around a little confused and then brought her hand up to her mouth feeling sick. She darted for the bathroom and slammed the door hard. They could hear her vomiting violently into the toilet bowl.

'Sophie dear are you ok?' Mrs Hudson said handing her a glass of water as she sat down. They were all watching her. They never watched her Sophie didn't understand why the residents of Baker Street were suddenly so interested in her.

'Yes, why wouldn't I be?' Sophie asked looking confused.

'You just tried to kill yourself!' John scoffed at her.

'No I didn't?' Sophie said she sipped from the water glass and rubbed her head again.

'No she didn't.' Sherlock said. Sophie looked at him, he was rifling through her portfolio on the side again now.

'John you never really look!' Sherlock began sounding bored. John leant back in the chair, watching Sherlock and knowing a rant was coming. Meanwhile Mrs Hudson sat next to Sophie and put a hand on hers giving it a gentle squeeze. Sophie looked confused.

'Clearly she wasn't trying to kill herself. So what then? A cry for help, no! It's for an exhibition. The video camera should have been your biggest clue. If not the 'darker' artwork all stacked up against the wall. The portfolio which is out has been used recently, the letters and also the leaflet stating when and where her next exhibition will be held.' He paused, looked over them all and then said 'Now can we get back to some real work please.'

'Why would you think I was trying to kill myself?' asked Sophie looking at them all.

'Do you not remember being at the hospital?' John asked Sophie.

'I was at the hospital?' Sophie said confused. She let out a small laugh. John and Mrs Hudson were not amused though and Sherlock was becoming impatient.

'Mrs Hudson found you unconscious, pills and alcohol around you!' John cried at her.

'Oh, right. Now things make a little more sense. No I wasn't trying to kill myself, Sherlock's right.' Sophie said. John looked at her disgust welling inside him. He had just had to hold Mrs Hudson's hand because she was shaking and crying, worried and confused at finding her friend in that way. John himself had also genuinely been worried and for what an attention stunt. John felt a little sick.

'Alright then, why?' John said harshly.

'Couple of weeks ago I got commissioned to do an exhibition on pain. That's why I was recording it. It is part of the video they asked from me.' Sophie said. She acted like this was the most normal thing in the world. John could feel anger welling inside him. Mrs Hudson looked thoroughly confused and Sherlock was getting evermore agitated.

'Wait a minute so you're telling me this was all for some stupid exhibition.' John cried throwing his hands up in frustration. 'We thought you were going to die!'

'I honestly don't see what the problem was. I didn't plan for anyone to come in.' Sophie said getting a little frustrated herself. 'I honestly don't see why it matters anyway. It's not like were some friendly happy family. I'm the ghost in the attic remember. I don't understand why it really matters if I became that permanently.' She snapped folding her arms and sitting back on the sofa.

'Neither do I.' Sherlock said. John threw is hands up in frustration and even Mrs Hudson looked a little disgusted by Sophie's behaviour.

'Besides, I've been working on this for a while. Don't start playing the concerned 'friends' because if you ever bothered to ask me you'd know.' Sophie snapped. What right did they have coming in here and being disgusted by what she was doing? At least she hadn't gone through with the previous plan. Which would have involved a little too much blood and that could have genuinely been dangerous.

'Come on, I'll make you a cuppa.' John said to Mrs Hudson. He shot Sophie a nasty look before they left her on her own slamming the door behind them.

Sophie honestly couldn't understand what the big deal was. Why did they care so much whether she lived or not. It wasn't like they were friends, barely even acquaintances. At least that's the way they saw it. Sophie would save any of them if the time called for it. Help them out anytime. She was under no illusion about what she meant to them though. She didn't need their pity.

For John, Sophie's attitude towards life irritated him. During the time she had been at Baker Street he thoroughly believed that she had started to change. Little things here and there, she didn't seem to drink as much and her dress sense had somewhat altered. John hadn't actively wanted to become Sophie's friend it had just gradually happened. It had surprised him how worried he felt when Mrs Hudson had shouted for him. It was nowhere near the worry he would feel were it Sherlock, Mrs Hudson or even Lestrade.

'You're angry because you don't understand it John. You can't understand why someone would do that to themselves for art. You're both angry as well because she dismissed your friendship.' Sherlock said as he passed him. 'Not that there seems to be much of a friendship, now can we please get back to the murders now?'

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><p>'My house is not a knocking shop Sophie!' Mrs Hudson scolded. It was several weeks after she had tried to kill herself. Mrs Hudson had resumed her normal relationship with her. Saying she was too old to stay mad. John however was still a little frosty. If they weren't really friends though it didn't matter did it?<p>

'I know, Mrs H I'm sorry. I…' Sophie started.

'I gave you tenancy under the impression you were a nice girl… none of us are angels but really.' Mrs Hudson scolded her again.

'I'm sorry, it won't happen again.' Sophie said. Mr Hudson didn't reply she simply shot her a look that left Sophie feeling ashamed and upset. Mrs Hudson was disappointed in her and that hurt. It almost surprised her how much.

'Fancy a brew?' John said sticking his head out the door of his and Sherlock's flat. He hadn't really spoken to her properly since the incident. Things had been a little strained but John felt a little sorry for her when he saw her looking disheartened in the corridor. She sat on the stairs her knees drawn up to her face. She was annoyed and upset with herself. The last thing she wanted to do was annoy Mrs Hudson. Who she respected and cared for.

'Go on then.' Sophie replied barely looking up at him.

'She'll be fine with you later, how many times as she argued with Sherlock and he put bloody holes in her walls.' John replied as Sophie slumped down onto the couch.

'Were they really both there all night?' John asked referring to the two girls Mrs Hudson had caught sneaking out and looking a little worse for wear. Sophie nodded to him.

'Did you? You didn't.' John asked. Sophie shrugged at him and let out a laugh her shoulders shaking slightly.

'Don't know, I can't remember.' Sophie said. John laughed at her and shook his head.

'I have got to get me some spy cameras.' He joked. 'Why do you do it? I mean you don't even remember much the morning after?' John had been curious about this for some time.

'Oh please.' Sophie rolled her eyes and put the radio on in the background. Last night and the past two weeks, when she had been on her own. One thing kept creeping back into her mind. Greg Lestrade and that kiss, the kiss that had made her feel something. When she was drunk it couldn't. When she was too busy concentrating on who was in her flat and what she was supposed to be doing with them. She couldn't think about it.

She couldn't think about Greg Lestrade and the way he looked when he was enjoying himself. She couldn't think about the way he licked his lips. She couldn't think about the fact that she wouldn't mind giving him the things he deserved; rather than the crap he seemed to take from his wife.

'I'm genuinely curious.' John replied to her silence. He handed her a tea and slumped down on the couch next to her.

'Bleeding hearts stories have never been my thing John.' Sophie said looking at him as though he should have known that. 'Life just goes in different directions sometimes.'

'Surely you've had boyfriends though. You must miss the feeling of going home with the same person though. Cuddling?' John replied nudging her lightly. Sophie just looked at him.

Sometimes she missed it. She didn't miss the hurt that came with it though. When they left her or cheated, when friends ran out on her. She didn't miss that. She knew her behaviour was self-destructive. That it wasn't healthy, when presented with a person you genuinely had a thing for. That the reaction was to go out and get as wasted as possible. In all honesty though she couldn't entertain the possibility Greg might just find her attractive. Might find her attract as anything more than an object, because entertaining the idea engineered hope. Hope was a dangerous thing. Sophie looked at John for a moment before she spoke.

'You know, I really envy you and Sherlock.' She said after a moment. 'I know. I know you hate people assuming you're gay or a couple or whatever. You are soul mates though. Best friends. Whether you'll admit to it or not, I envy that I really do. I wish I had friends at all but a friendship like that. Like what you have. That's rare and beautiful and romantic, not in a love sense but it's the stuff novels are made of. God I sound like an idiot.' Sophie said shaking her head at him.

John didn't reply, he knew it was all true. Sherlock was his best friend. Sherlock had pulled him from the depths of darkness and given him a life again as infuriating as he was. John couldn't see a life without him. He couldn't picture life at 221b Baker Street without gun shots and violin songs, life without running around London, trying to solve one case or another.

'Well you have at least two friends, if not three.' John smiled at her.

'That wasn't what I was getting at. I don't want you to say that.' Sophie replied.

'You still didn't answer my question though. Don't you miss a steady relationship? Don't you miss falling in love?' John asked her.

'I'm not the sort of girl people fall in love with John.' Sophie said.

'Only because you don't want them to,' John replied. Sophie shook her head at him. 'Any time someone gets remotely near to that heart of yours, you act out. Like a child. So they hate you.'

'This. Coming from the man who hasn't held a girlfriend down in… how long?' Sophie said. 'This. Coming from the man who insists his girlfriend's meet Sherlock. Even though he knows, Sherlock is going to mess it up. Why? Because you don't want something to come between the two of you but, you don't want anyone to think you're gay. Two can play at the psychoanalysing game John.' Sophie said to him.

'I still can't believe you nearly killed yourself for a piece of artwork!' John said changing the subject. He shook his head in disbelief.

'Do you even know how much that exhibition earned me?' she asked him. John just looked at her and drank his tea.

'30,000' Sophie said. John nearly spat his tea out of his mouth.

'POUNDS!' he shouted. Sophie nodded letting a small smile pass over her face.

'I am definitely in the wrong line of work.' John said.

'John! Have you seen Sherlock?' Lestrade suddenly said through the open door. John whirled around not quite expecting him. Sophie muttered a small hi but wouldn't look at Greg. Instead she started running her hands through her hair almost nervously. She wasn't exactly looking her best. She didn't want him to see her. She didn't want to look at him because he made her feel something.

'Well, we need him. There's been a kidnapping.' Greg said.

'Right, wait, I'll go call him.' John said, putting the tea down and standing up, searching for his mobile in his pocket. He passed Greg and moved into the kitchen. Sophie stood up expecting Greg to have followed John into the kitchen. She was going to disappear upstairs, lock the door and put some music on, extremely loud music. He hadn't moved and he was watching her.

He looked awkward hands in his pockets in the doorway, she noticed his tongue flicked over his lips nervously and he scratched the back of his head.

'Was there…'

'Can I…' They both spoke at the same time and stopped. Sophie rubbed her neck and she could remember the way Greg's teeth felt on it. She didn't want to remember that night in the office but she could. She hadn't been that drunk and flashes of it came to her from time to time and she didn't like the way it made her feel. She didn't like the fact that sometimes she wished Greg would just show up at Baker Street. She had flashes through her imagination of him turning up on her doorstep and whisking her off somewhere. She didn't like this. She moved onto the corridor intending to head upstairs.

'Look, you don't fancy getting dinner do you?' he blurted out suddenly, following her.

'No, I don't think…' Sophie began.

'We don't have to have dinner. We could go to the cinema or shopping.' Greg said moving a little closer to her.

'Sherlock!' They heard John cry. 'Sherlock, Greg's here...' He said down the phone.

'Shopping?' Sophie said confused. 'Look we had sex, that's it ok? This isn't pretty woman and I'm not a hooker.' She said a little nastily.

'Then why do you act like one.' Greg retorted. Sophie let out a small laugh.

'I don't get paid for sex. So what I do in my spare time is none of your business. Detective.' She practically spat the word detective at him. As though it was dirty. 'You're just some man that I had sex with and if I had known. That you knew the residents of this house, I never would have.' Sophie said nastily arms folded. She leant back on one leg, defensively.

'No I don't believe that, there was something more there. You felt something that's why you ran off so quickly.' Greg said pointing a finger at her. He was angry a little annoyed. Ego bruised again. She kept doing this to him, so why did he keep wanting to see her? Why had he been texting her? Was he really remembering the encounters with her that wrongly? Greg saw the flicker on her face. He almost wished Sherlock was here so he could explain it. He would have deduced that look in a heartbeat.

'Sherlock's already there and apparently Donovan is kicking off with him.' John said coming onto the landing. He looked from Greg to Sophie and back again a little confused. Greg shook his head turned and left. Sophie shrugged, wished him good luck and headed to her room.


	8. Chapter 8: Loneliness & Football

_**DISCLAIMER: Obviously I don't own what you know already, all I've got are the things I've come up with and the way I've put it together. **_

_**Thankyou so much for all the lovely reviews! I'm so bloody scared of disappointing you now! I really hope I don't =) =/  
><strong>_

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><p>'So who's playing today?' Sophie asked John as she sat herself down on the sofa. She always wore an over-sized t-shirt and denim shorts or dungarees. 'Is it the guys in red again?'<p>

'No the one's in purple. You didn't order food yet did you?' John asked as he disappeared out onto the corridor. Every week or two weeks John would settle down, hopefully Sherlock would be out, to watch the football. He'd grab a beer and order pizza and Sophie had started joining him. He doubted she ever actually watched the game. She usually got bored partway through and started sketching or reading.

When Sherlock was there, her and Sherlock would sit and deduce things about members of the crowd. This amused them greatly but irritated John to no end. Sophie would also sit a little in awe of Sherlock, even now, after spending so much time with him. John didn't blame her but it was kind of irritating when he was trying to watch. He didn't need to know that the captain of the opposition's team was quite clearly having an affair with his team mate's wife. He also didn't need to know about the commentators or random members of the crowd. Although, it was quite fun, when Sherlock accurately showed how the ball should have been kicked for the perfect goal. John figured if Sherlock ever did play football, he might actually be quite good at it.

'No I didn't order yet, you know I never do until you make your mind up on what you want.' Sophie replied.

'I will have the usual. What dyou fancy Greg?' John said. Sophie whirled around laptop on her knee to see Greg in the flat. No suit today, it must have been his day off, casual jeans, shirt and a cardigan thrown over the top.

'Oh, I don't know is there a menu knocking around?' Greg replied as John grabbed the bottle opener and took the top of three beers. He handed one to Greg, one to Sophie and kept one for himself.

'Sophie?' John asked after a moment and Sophie realised she was staring.

'Menuorderonline,' Sophie stumbled over her words, causing John to raise his eyebrows at her. 'I mean we always order online. The menu's on here.' Sophie corrected herself a little flustered.

She was trying to set her mind straight. What the hell was he doing here? Really! He did look quite nice though. _No he didn't_. Part of her flushed embarrassed. Part of her was glad he was here, especially looking like that. Sophie didn't like him though. Sophie didn't like anyone. She didn't because once you started to feel, you started playing a dangerous game with your own mind.

An admittance of such feelings led to a hope that someone would return them, not just anyone a specific person. This meant that your heart, metaphorically speaking rested with them. It meant they had the power to make or break you. The longer the chase went on and the feelings, the more intense they became. Hope became something to cling onto and led to a delusion that felt good for a while until reality set back in. Sophie was sure of one thing. Nothing when it came to relationships and friendships was certain. You never would know how another person really felt.

Sophie was sure Sherlock and John didn't class her as a friend, she was just an acquaintance. Someone they, well John felt a little sorry for but she appreciated him letting her sit in on these days. It satisfied the little voice in her head that told her she was lonely, that she had to stop the drinking and casual sex.

'Let's have a look then?' Greg said and he leant over the back of the chair to take a look at the menu. She could feel his breath on her cheek smell his aftershave and she went rigid in the chair trying not to move.

'Here, take it.' She offered him the laptop but he refused.

'It's ok, I can see it.' He replied. He reached over and his hand just brushed against Sophie's. She felt herself stiffen and she moved her hand away quickly. Greg seemed unfazed he clicked on his order and moved away.

_This is not going to be awkward._ Sophie thought to herself. _You just need to go out and let off some steam, how many nights has it been?_ She thought to herself. _Go just leave now. _A voice in her head said. _Get out of there. _

_No, then it'll be obvious something's up. That he's done something, than he'll think you feel something. _Another voice fought back.

Greg smirked to himself as he moved away from Sophie, two could play games. He had felt her stiffen when his breath had tickled her neck. He saw the look on her face when she had seen that he was going to be watching the game with them.

Sophie sat curled up on the sofa for the first half of the game, the only time she got up was to answer the door to the pizza delivery man. Then she sat beer at the side of her eating away as Greg and John shouted at the screen from time to time. Her eyes kept flickering over to Greg, trying to pick out all the things she didn't like about him. She gave up on that after several minutes.

Greg's eyes flicked to her a few times but he was avidly trying to ignore her. She had planted herself firmly in his brain, he wasn't quite sure when it happened. Maybe when she actively tried to ignore him when he came around, maybe it had been his birthday. Maybe it had been when she came to his office. What only seemed to make Greg want her more was the fact she avidly denied that she had/now felt something for him.

Just as half time hit Sophie had stepped into John and Sherlock's kitchen. She was stood at the side, having pulled a beer out of the fridge, avoiding the bloody packages that lay in there. She was just flicking the bottle top off when Greg squeezed passed her. He was too close, she could feel him against her and the urge to turn and kiss him was there. Sophie swigged hard from the bottle.

'You know, I never would have taken you for the sort who likes football.' He said, as he lent across reaching for the bottle opener.

Sophie moved away from him.

'You got me.' She said civilly. 'It's mainly the pizza.' Said Sophie and she let out a small laugh.

'We could…' Greg began and Sophie cut him off.

'No, we couldn't.' Sophie said.

'I was going to say we could get John a beer.' Greg said, he raised his eyebrows at her.

'Oh, well.' Sophie said. She had been expecting him to ask her out again. She felt a flash of disappointment and squashed it.

'We could go get pizza though.' Greg said.

'What is wrong with you?' Sophie said. She felt anger flaring up inside her. 'Do you not get the message, give it up!' she said to him and she swigged from her beer again. Greg didn't like the way she did that, it was a little too hard faced.

Greg let out a small laugh and shook his head. 'Because I know that you felt something, in fact you still feel something, that's why you couldn't take your eyes off me during the game.' He rocked a little on his heels a smug grin on his face. Sophie wanted to punch him hard. He wouldn't be chasing her then.

'Just because you're having troubles at home, don't project your fantasies onto me.' She said a little harshly.

'Me thinks the lady doth protest too much.' He joked and he moved a little closer to her. Sophie could feel her heart racing and she moved back, crushing the urge inside her to kiss him. He wasn't right, he couldn't be.

'Me, thinks the man is a delusional idiot, just because we had a night…' she began. She was trying to remain calm, any hint of anger and he would say it was passion.

'It was more than one.' Greg said. He was enjoying this feeling, this feeling that Sophie was trying hard to resist him, he could see it in her face, hear it in her voice. He liked the way it felt, the chase. This was different to the way his wife made him feel. God knows he had been chasing her the past few years, chasing his marriage trying to stop it from heading down the tubes.

This was different though, chasing Sophie didn't feel desperate. It felt passionate, it felt exciting, he was pretty sure she wanted him, he was pretty sure she was enjoying this as much as he was. It had to come to a head at some point didn't it? Explode in a passionate way. Maybe Greg was just letting himself indulge in a little fantasy. Why not though?

Where did Greg get to meet women? Outside of home, the station wasn't exactly teaming with women he wanted to bend over his desk. Donovan was too much of a bitch, she was a decent enough copper but he didn't like her attitude. Molly Hooper, now he had thought about her, but she was a little too innocent, a little too nice. That was part of the attraction though. Molly Hooper was also well and truly infatuated with Sherlock, a man who would never appreciate that sense of naivety that she exuded.

Cathy was a little too plump. Rita was too old. Lauren had that horrible dyed hair and was in no uncertain terms the office bike. Besides, the whole department seemed to know his bloody business with his wife. They knew he was married, they knew he failed at marriage; something, which seemed to put women in general off.

'Prove it then.' Greg said as Sophie made to move away from him he held his arm firm on the kitchen counter.

'What?' She scoffed at him. Sophie wished he'd give up, she didn't want this.

'Prove you don't feel anything, kiss me.' Greg said. He was looking into her eyes. Sophie looked right back, she seemed to just stop for a moment, her chest didn't move an inch, her breath didn't escape her lips. She stared right back as a number of emotions flicked across her face. For a moment Greg thought she was going to indulge and his tongue flicked over his lips hungrily.

'I don't have to prove anything to you. Take the hint and back the fuck off.' Sophie said nastily and she pushed him hard away from her. Greg shook his head and laughed; a victory in his mind. She couldn't stay icy forever.

'John, I'm going out, just got a call so I won't be watching the rest of the game sorry.' Sophie said, she shut her laptop and snatched it off the side.

'Well, wait, we could…' he began, he slumped back onto the sofa.

'No, I'm erm meeting a friend.' She said hurriedly.

'Does she always watch the football with you?' Greg asked handing John a beer.

'Normally, well I say watch, she usually starts doing something else during it, drawing, messing on her laptop or the most annoying thing talking. Jesus when Sophie and Sherlock are here I'm lucky if I hear even a snippet of commentary.' John laughed, not that he'd change anything. 'I think she just gets a bit lonely, OH COME ON! That was a handball!' John cried at the TV.

'I put 20 quid down on these before!' he said not taking his eyes off the telly.

'Lonely?' Greg said a little confused. How could Sophie be lonely?

'See this is why we need the refs to be able to see playback! Sophie? Yeah. Sherlock thinks she's one of those people you know, lonely but too scared to do anything about it. Emotional trauma or something, then again Sherlock's got a new theory about her every other week so…' John tailed off and started shouting at the screen again.

Greg felt a little guilty. Maybe that was why she didn't want to admit to any feelings. If she didn't feel anything she would have kissed him of that much he was sure. Now though he felt guilty, he didn't want to hurt her, he wanted to get to know her. He wanted to curl up on the couch with her. He wanted to take her out to dinner. He wanted to take care of her. Greg wondered if his feelings were simply a result of wanting to be needed by someone. His wife clearly didn't need or want him, maybe Sophie was right. Maybe it was a fantasy he was pushing onto her. The first woman he'd come across who made him feel like he didn't need to cling onto his marriage.

Why then in the bar a few nights ago had he rejected the very attractive blonde who had hit on him? Thoughts swimming with the first time he'd met Sophie in that bar.

Three hours later Greg was just getting his coat on, ready to head back to that bleak house. As him and John came out into the corridor, Sophie was at the base of her staircase. She pulled an unknown man who was much taller and bigger than her with thick black hair into a passionate, almost seedy kiss. She opened one eye judging whether John and Greg were watching her. The man ran his hands up Sophie's side and Greg resisted the urge to pull him off her. She drunkenly giggled and attempted to pull him up the stairs. The man in question slapped her backside hard and she let out another. John shook his head in disbelief.

'Three hours, maybe less, that's gotta be a record.' John said. Greg was still looking up the stairs after them. 'Don't worry you get used to it.' He chuckled a little but Greg noticed his forehead creased and realised the same worried feeling that passed over him was passing over John.

Sophie opened the flat, that'll teach him. She thought to herself drunkenly, the stranger in her flat grabbed her and crushed her to him. Sloppy kisses on her mouth and neck, he grunted at her and tried to pull her shorts down.

It felt wrong, this wasn't right. She tried to ignore the feeling in her stomach, the squirming sensation that made her want to throw the guy off. He pushed Sophie to sitting on the bed.

'I think we should get this off.' He said gruffly. Pulling at the vest top she'd put on. 'I want to see what's underneath.'

Sophie felt a little sick. Her thoughts flickered to Greg in the office, at his birthday party. The admiration he had in his eyes, the sweet offer of dinner, which had been sweet. The fact he was pursuing her. He wasn't pursuing her though, he was pursuing an idea. She pushed the thoughts of him away. The feeling of longing that was slowly beginning to build in her stomach. She pulled her top off in defiance. Sophie didn't go out with people. She didn't have relationships with anyone longer then a night. Right now, this was how she liked it, a man or woman watching her with adoration because in that moment she was stunning to them. It was never longer then a night though ever, in that moment someone did care about her for a second because they wanted her and there was no doubt about it.

The man grunted something at her and pushed her down onto the bed. He licked a trail up her neck that made Sophie shudder and not in a good way. He groped and grabbed at her flesh. Greg hadn't done that, Greg had found her sweet spots and tried to make her moan. He had kissed her with passion. No matter how much of an arse he had just been, it dawned on Sophie he had been trying to mirror her.

He was using the way she acted against her, thinking she'd like it. _No he wasn't, he's no better than this gorilla._ A voice in her head said. _Yes he is. _Another voice replied.

'I want to get inside you.' The man grunted at her, he squeezed her breast a little too hard.

'Get off.' Sophie said suddenly, she felt sick to her stomach.

'GET OFF!' she shouted at him, the man was drunk and confused. He stopped.

'My neighbours downstairs have all sorts of knives and guns in their flat, now get the fuck off before I scream so loudly they cut your head off!' She shouted at him. The man looked confused but backed off and did his fly up.

'Alright chill out.' He said. He pulled his jacket back on, which Sophie didn't remember seeing him pull off. 'Fucking sluts!' She heard him mutter as he headed out the door.

'Get out! Get OUT NOW!' Sophie screamed anger rising up inside her. She made him run down both flights of stairs and pushed him out onto the street.

'Sophie?' John said. As she stomped half dressed up the stairs.

'I'm fine!' she cried.

Greg hadn't pulled his car off yet when he saw the guy coming out of the house shaking his head and muttering. He caught a glimpse of the angry Sophie and wanted to go over and rather roughly ask the guy what he'd done. He gripped the steering wheel hard instead.

He wanted to go back into the house and rush up the stairs and sweep her up in his arms in some romantic gesture and then just hold her. Not even sleep with her. Just wrap his arms around her and let her know she was safe with him. Greg realised how ridiculous he was being. _You're a man for fucks sake._ He said to himself. _Not some dick from a mills and boon novel!_


	9. Chapter 9:Let's Spend The Night Together

_**DISCLAIMER: Obviously I don't own what you know already, all I've got are the things I've come up with and the way I've put it together. **_

_**Thankyou so much for all the lovely reviews! I'm so bloody scared of disappointing you now! I really hope I don't =) =/  
><strong>_

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><p>Sophie tried just about everything she could to get Greg out of her head. The pent up feelings that were driving her a little mad, she would go around 6 hours without thinking about him and suddenly she'd realise that she hadn't thought about him. So as a consequence she would think about him.<p>

She tried everything to distract herself. Getting so wasted she could barely walk, that either helped a great deal or just made her think even more. She tried watching films, listening to music, watching mindless television. She'd get a little lost sometimes though and start thinking about him. Imagining scenarios, starring him, allowing herself to indulge in a little fantasy before crying out in frustration.

Sophie brought a man and a woman back one night. She pushed passed the uneasy feeling, the feeling she was doing something wrong. She pushed out the images of Greg Lestrade that kept entering her mind. After the sex Sophie just felt worse then she had before. That's when she tried something new, tried to tackle her feelings with pain. She cut and burnt and bruised herself. Even tried to break or sprain something, hoping that the pain would prove a distraction.

Sophie realised, after using the iron to cause a burn across her hand; which she made look like an accident. That this, pain, wasn't helping, he was there, in her head and the more she resisted the harder he sat there. Over the week she became a sucker for punishment in most senses of the word. When Greg came around which he did a lot that week, she found any excuse to go downstairs. Even just to catch a glimpse, then she hated herself afterwards and either went back upstairs and ate until it hurt or drank until she blacked out.

Greg found himself making an effort when getting ready in the mornings, he was consciously picking out shirts and making sure he'd shaved. Something he hadn't really done in a long while. He was also making any excuse to head around to Baker Street.

'Are you watching the game today?' John asked Sophie, it was just over a week since the last match, the bruises and burns she'd made were starting to fade. 'Sherlock's going to be out for the most part, something about beating a corpse.'

'Erm, yeah, yeah sounds good. I've just got some stuff I have to finish so, I might be late. What times kick off?' Sophie asked.

'7:30, well probably about 8, you know what it's like.' John replied smiling at her.

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><p>'You know I actually think I prefer the Bowie version.' John said over the sound of the record player. He was stood at the table in the living room looking out of the window. They were all a little drunk, him, Greg and Sophie. John had asked Greg to join them earlier. John was more than a little unaware of what was happening between the two of them.<p>

Sophie had been mad at first trying to avoid him, trying to avoid eye contact. Keeping quiet, listening to John and Greg shout at the television. She stopped trying to tell herself that she didn't like him and ignored the voice in her head altogether. Drowning it out with beer after beer, it didn't stop her eyes wandering over to him every once in a while though. She suddenly caught herself a few times, thinking about how he kept licking his lips and how he looked quite sexy when he did it. How his grey hair suited him. She'd stopped herself several times. Chastised herself and took a drink, it wasn't healthy but it was working, slightly.

Greg was watching Sophie in the kitchen. He was stood up talking to John, dancing around a little, glass of alcohol in one hand. Sophie was dancing around to the music that was playing. Let's Spend The Night Together by The Rolling Stones. She had a bottle in her hand, which Sophie had run upstairs and gotten after they'd finished the beer.

'Yeah, I reckon that version just has an edge.' John said to himself more than Greg.

'What?' Greg asked.

'This, this song, the Bowie version is better.' John smiled drunkenly.

'What!' Greg cried. 'No, no, no, no! Are you mad?'

'It just has an edge. I've always liked that one better.' John said.

'Have you heard this?' Greg cried to Sophie, an excuse to draw her into some form of light conversation, get her attention.

'What?' she stumbled a little, moving towards them.

'John said the Bowie version is better.' Greg said. She rubbed her face with her hand as though trying to bring them into focus.

'What?' Sophie asked stumbling forward and leaning in as though she couldn't hear them properly. She leaned in as Greg repeated what he'd said and he could smell her perfume. He resisted the urge to put a hand on the small of her back.

'Well, it kind of is?' John said.

'Are you serious? You actually think that Bowies version is better than The Stones! Than this, you're kidding me right? That's like saying, saying, well it's like saying… I don't know.' Sophie threw her hands up in the air and then swigged from the bottle again holding it out to the others. Greg took the bottle off her, swigged then handed it to John.

'I know, I've got it,' Sophie held her hands up like she was trying to stop them talking but they weren't saying anything anyway. 'It's like saying that, that on the football before. The…' she paused to think. 'The panthers are better than the polar bears.'

Sophie smiled as Greg and John both looked at her, heads cocked to one side in confusion and amusement.

'That's not right is it?' She slurred. They both shook their heads and laughed at her. Sophie let out a small giggle and Greg felt the urge to put an arm around her shoulders and give her a gentle loving squeeze, he resisted though.

'Oh I don't know about football! I do know about music though.' Sophie said, she heard a small scoff from behind and turned to see Sherlock had come in.

'Sherlock! You should join us for a drink!' She said enthusiastically as he made his way to the fridge.

'No thank you. Looks like you've had more than enough for all of us.' Sherlock quipped. She rolled her eyes at him and turned back to the others. She noticed the other two were straightening up it was like their father had just come home and caught them all drinking. Sophie let out a small laugh and John and Greg looked at her curiously.

'John did you move those livers.' Sherlock said in annoyance.

'Come on, have a drink with us!' Sophie said. She moved towards him in the kitchen taking the bottle off Greg and shaking it at Sherlock. 'You know, you're a very attractive man Sherlock, even when you're being an arse!' Sophie said and she put a hand on his chest. It was more to steady herself then anything flirty. Greg felt a pang of jealousy as he watched. She shook her head and smiled, she was drunk, very drunk.

Sherlock cocked his head at her and then moved her out of the way.

'A word.' He said to John.

John shot Greg a look. It was the same look he'd given his friends when he'd been in trouble with the wife. Greg's eyes wandered back to Sophie who was in the kitchen, she shook her head letting it fall forwards as she leant against the kitchen counter. He moved towards her, she looked good, ginger hair falling around her face. _What are you playing at?_ He thought to himself as he moved closer.

'Can I?' he said reaching for the alcohol bottle in her hand, he pressed himself into her a little and heard a sharp intake of breath.

'John and Sherlock…' Sophie began in protest.

'Are having a domestic.' Greg whispered into her ear. He ran a finger down the back of her arm before he pulled the alcohol off her. He felt Sophie go tense and smiled, goosebumps arose on her arm.

'Goodnight.' Sherlock shouted from somewhere and Greg moved away from her as John came back into the kitchen.

'Sure, I can't join you Sherlock, I'd quite like to try hurting myself on those cheekbones.' Sophie said teasingly.

'No thank you.' Sherlock shouted back. John raised his eyebrows at her.

'Don't be mean.' He said.

'I'm not he should be flattered.' Sophie replied.

'It's Sherlock?' John said. The appearance of Sherlock seemed to have sobered him up a little and he yawned. It was only 20 past 11, yet he now seemed sleepy. It really was like father or wifey had come home and spoilt the fun. The party had seemed to have taken a sombre turn.

'He's still an attractive man.' Sophie replied. She forced the alcohol out of Greg's hands and into John's urging him to drink.

John took it back into the living room and turned the music down, he still drank but he rubbed his eyes at little sleepily and sat down on the couch.

It didn't take long before John was asleep. It must have been 12am maybe 20 past.

'You wouldn't really go there with Sherlock?' Greg asked Sophie as she hung around in the doorway of the kitchen, he was sat in the large grey chair facing her. Sophie resisted the urge to ask if he was jealous.

'Oh come on, he might be a little cold but…' Sophie began. Greg raised his eyebrows at her, a mixture of jealousy and curiosity. 'Sherlock is an attractive man.' Sophie stumbled towards him a little and put a hand on the arm of the chair to steady herself. She was incredibly close to him. Greg was fighting a losing battle with himself at the moment.

'I mean you must have thought about it, that man can deduce where you slept the night before in a heartbeat. I reckon after ten minutes in bed with you, he'd be able to deduce all the right ways to keep you coming all night long.' Sophie said she moved closer to him. Greg could feel the tingles all over his body, electricity between them, she didn't move away though. She seemed to be actively teasing him. 'Bit like football.' She said. Her voice still slurred.

'I'm quite good at football.' Greg said drunkenly. They looked at each other for a moment. Then they were kissing, hot and passionate the alcohol on their breath mingling together. Greg practically pulled her on top of him, not that she put up much resistance. She was straddling him on the grey chair, her hips grinding onto his as his hands tried to get her top off.

John let out a grunt in his sleep and they stopped suddenly, realising they weren't alone, or out of Sherlock's flat. Sophie's breath was coming out almost like a pant.

'Upstairs.' Greg growled into her ear. Sophie just nodded a little breathlessly.

A short while later, when Greg had righted himself, he found Sophie didn't turn away from him. She didn't throw clothes at him or jump up to escape. He didn't know if it was because she was drunk but she put her head on his chest. He had been more than ready to turn away and try to sleep. He stayed on his back instead though. Her cheeks were hot and flushed against his chest. He put an arm around her and found she didn't flinch or roll away when he kissed the top of her head. Greg realised then that she might actually like him. Before he had entertained the idea, fantasised about it, trying to convince himself but now it felt like a reality. Greg liked it, he liked the fact she was asleep, head on his chest. He sighed contentedly and kissed the top of her head again before closing his own eyes and drifting off to sleep.


	10. Chapter 10: You Know I'm Smiling Baby

_**DISCLAIMER: Obviously I don't own what you know already, all I've got are the things I've come up with and the way I've put it together. **_

_**Thankyou so much for all the lovely reviews! I'm so bloody scared of disappointing you now! I really hope I don't =) =/  
><strong>_

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><p>Greg woke up in the morning and Sophie had gone from the bed, instead she was stood at the dresser. She had his shirt on. It just about covered her backside. He bit his lip a little hungrily as he watched her for a moment. She was combing her hair distractedly. Greg stood up the bed creaking a little but Sophie didn't seem to have noticed. She didn't even turn when he returned from the bathroom. Greg slipped his hands around her waist and moved the hair from her neck and nibbled on it lightly.<p>

Sophie tensed up and put the brush down.

'Hadn't you better be getting back to your wife?' Sophie asked. It wasn't harsh this time though. There was a hint of sadness in her voice, just a trace, almost like she was tired, like she'd given up on something.

'Look.' Greg said and he attempted to rest his head on her shoulder but Sophie moved. So he twisted her around to face him as he spoke. 'Me and my wife are not together, we haven't been for months, nothing is official but when I'm sleeping in the spare room and she's bringing random men home I'd say that's a clear sign it's over.' Greg said. He watched an odd expression flit over her face and noticed she tried to tug the shirt down a little.

'Now.' He put a hand on her cheek and Sophie turned away from him a little. Greg looked at her frustrated. He noticed she tugged on the shirt again, she wouldn't meet his eyes.

'Greg, this isn't…' Sophie began. Greg was frustrated. He was growing tired of the chase now, getting bored of it. He looked her over for a second. She tugged at the shirt again as though trying to cover up, she was glancing around for something to cover up with.

'I'm sorry.' She said, she sounded genuinely torn and upset, as though it was taking all her strength to say it. Suddenly it made sense to him. The way she was fidgeting uncomfortably, tugging at the shirt to cover her up. She wouldn't meet his eyes. She wasn't trying to be sexy or sultry. She wasn't playing into a character, she was stood in front of him and all her insecurities were there in front of him. No mask.

That was why she threw them out as soon as they woke up. Sometimes, he figured, she even pretended to sleep in, just so she could build up the anger to throw them out. He noticed she always took control, she had come to him. Even when he had text her, even when he had asked her to dinner. The control was still hers it had to be, to keep her safe.

'Greg I think...' she began but this time she didn't falter because she didn't have chance to Greg took a step forward and kissed her. He put one hand on the small of her back pulling her closer and with the other he held her face in place. He could taste a soft hint of mint on her breath where she'd brushed her teeth. He felt her melt a little, caught the smell of his own aftershave on his shirt.

'Tell me, you want me to go and I will.' He said putting his forehead to hers. She avoided his eyes again.

'I can't.' it was barely even a whisper but Greg heard it. He wanted to show her that he wanted her, because he did. Maybe it wasn't love but that didn't matter, he had no business falling in love again, not yet anyway. He did want her though. He wanted to take care of her because that's what Greg was like. Even when he had been younger and quite the rebellious anarchist, even when he'd been part of that gang when he was 18. He was always the one with a girlfriend who he wanted to take care of, someone who he got into too many fights over. That's how he'd met his wife, fighting another guy off for her, he was romantic, not overly but it was still there. He was just another one of the good guys. In being a good guy, Greg wanted to show her that not everything had to hurt. He was kissing her again a little fiercely. They tumbled onto the bed and Greg pushed her hands up over her head and felt Sophie melt into him a little.

He looked at her again and she looked for a moment like she was going to protest to resist. Greg had an idea.

Sophie couldn't do this, could she? She couldn't let herself indulge in this because she didn't know what was going to happen afterwards. Last night was a mistake but at least she didn't remember too much of it. All she had when she woke up was a sense of satisfaction and a feeling of happiness, which she tried to shake off. She got up, cleaned up a little and then had stood brushing her hair a little absent minded. Her thoughts had been elsewhere when he slipped his hands around her waist.

Sophie couldn't do this, this was going to hurt like hell afterwards but his teeth felt so good on her neck and his hands felt so good when they brushed the skin over her hip. She tried to pull the shirt down again, she hadn't done this sober in a long while. She hadn't been feeling sexy beforehand, playing up to an idea. She didn't have her costume on. Now she felt self-conscious, he could see her for what she was. Yet he was still kissing her. _God that man was good with his mouth._

Greg worked his way back around to her mouth again, his tongue flicked over her lip, something which usually Sophie didn't find at all attractive but when Greg did it, it sent a shiver down her spine and she arched into him. She melted and found herself making a moaning noise. Sophie untangled one of her hands from his and her fingers found their way into that grey hair.

Greg found it amusing when Sophie suddenly realised her other hand was cuffed to the head of the bed, she pulled against it a little.

'What are you doing?' she asked. When he kissed her again though she felt her whole body tingle with excitement and the voice that was ready to moan loudly, seemed to drown out the one that was trying to stop her getting hurt.

'Greg, no! No come on.' Sophie said gasping a little as he kissed down her collar bone, in between her breasts, down and across her body as though following a trail, leaving a hot tingling one in its wake. He undid the two buttons on the shirt and she fidgeted trying to cover up again.

'You know this looks a lot better on you than it does me.' He said into her stomach, gesturing to the shirt.

'Greg,' she said a little strangled and pulled at his arm, trying to get him to come back up to her. She didn't let people go down on her, it felt amazing when done right of course it did, but it meant giving up some sort of control.

'Don't make me cuff the other one.' He growled at her and Sophie threw her head back into the pillow. 'Sophie, relax.' He growled into her stomach, which she sucked in a little. Greg pushed his face into her stomach, his bottom lip catching and tasting it. She smelt and tasted good today, like cocoa butter. Greg liked that smell a lot. He figured that was what made her skin so smooth.

Sophie was lost to the world now, she was panting and yet at the same time didn't think this was a good idea, she knew it wasn't. Even as he pulled the knickers over her knees and threw them somewhere she gave his arm a tug. He kissed a line over her hips, his tongue soft and wet on her skin and there was no noise but the sound of her moans.

Sophie's whole body seemed to clench as her pressed his tongue into the damp hot spot between her thighs.

'Fuck.' Sophie said breathlessly and he knew he was doing a good job. Every flick of his tongue, every movement he made, caused her hips to spasm, her tummy to dip slightly as she sucked it in. He made her body tingle, in anticipation and her hips rolled into him almost involuntary, a roll that seemed to start in her chest. Her free hand was flailing a little and Greg entwined his fingers with hers.

'Greg.' She panted, she raised her head to look at him, Greg felt the shift but it made him more determined, he pushed his tongue flat against her and Sophie almost screamed in ecstasy. Her fingers digging into the back of his hand hard. Greg's boxers felt uncomfortable and tight, he wanted to get rid of them. First he wanted Sophie shaking though.

Sophie came hard and fast, wave after wave of pleasure rolled itself over her as her hips jerked and her whole body seemed to tighten and then relax. Every nerve in her body stood on edge and exploded. She was panting hard when Greg made his way back up to her. He put his forehead against hers and looked into her eyes before he kissed her. She could taste herself on him and it made her feel a little uncomfortable. Sophie tried to wriggle from under him, she was going to return the favour but found her hand still bound to the bed. Greg shook his head at her.

Sophie dragged the nails of her free hand down his chest and over his hips but found she couldn't quite reach him, Greg was too tall, his body too long. She sighed a little in frustration as he reached up and she heard a click and her hand fell free. Greg was at her neck again and despite the fact she'd come not moments earlier, Sophie felt her hips buck towards him a little as he ran a hand down her stomach. She pushed him hard and reached around in her drawer for something. Greg leaned over and bit down on her hip as she routed around, she jerked away from him a little letting out a small sigh.

Greg didn't want foreplay he just wanted her, on top of him. That image made his boxers that little bit tighter. Sophie turned back around and kissed him again.

This time it was Greg's turn for a sharp intake of breath, this time it was his turn to protest. As Sophie used a trick that Greg had come to appreciate, using her tongue and mouth to roll a condom down his length. She licked and sucked a few times enjoying the gasps from him. He knew how quickly it would be over if she started at what she was about too. There was only so much a man could take and Greg wasn't exactly the youngest of men.

Sophie looked up and her eyes met his mouth fixed around him and Greg let out a moan letting his head fall back.

'Sophie!' He growled. She stopped for a moment and a coy smile danced on her lips. 'Come here.' He breathed. She moved up his body slowly, pausing to nip at his nipples, the sharp twang of pain caused him to inhale. Pleasure and pain he smirked at her as she bit down on his lip.

'Stay there.' Greg said as she made to move onto her back. He grabbed at her thighs so she couldn't move from straddling him.

'Greg,' Sophie said, reluctant. She didn't like this position, because this position was the one that really got her going. The person below got to watch as she came undone at their hands. She didn't like that, but when Greg said please and kissed her like the way he did, she couldn't resist him. Greg was lay down and she heard him gasp when she lowered herself onto him. At first Sophie seemed a little embarrassed. She tugged at the shirt again, and Greg took her hands in his, he pulled himself up so there bodies were pressed together and laid kisses onto her neck again. There was a spot, a sweet spot and every time he hit it Sophie ground into him harder. She let out a moan, so he ran his mouth over it several times and his teeth. Soon they were moving in a rhythm that had them both moaning loudly. Sophie's hip ground against Greg's and she pressed her forehead to his, her mouth on his, breath hot and ragged. Greg collapsed backwards, all too soon, pulling Sophie with him as she collapsed shaking on top of him, he came moments later. Sophie was panting. He could feel her breath on his shoulder.

'Sophie, you're gunna have to move sweetheart.' Greg said to her a few minutes later. Sophie moved off him a little embarrassed at how relaxed and exhausted she felt. She watched him as he threw the condom in the bin and pulled his boxers back on. She rolled over on her side not able to even think about what had just happened she was too tired. She'd woken up a lot earlier than Greg so she had every right to be. Greg rolled over and put his arm around her and they both knew something had changed. Sophie fell to sleep with Greg's nose nuzzling her neck and his arm around her waist.

* * *

><p>'Sophie, Sophie.' Greg was shaking her lightly sometime later and Sophie wondered if she had dreamt the whole thing. Sophie opened her eyes slowly, trying to stop the smile from forming on her face.<p>

'I need my shirt.' He whispered. He watched as her expression seemed to break.

Sophie's heart seemed to stop and drop in her chest. She suddenly felt very foolish.

'Oh, ok, yeah sorry.' She shrugged it off and tossed it to him. Trying to make the expression on her face read as indifference, she didn't like the way this felt, it hurt. Maybe Greg was getting his own back.

'Sophie, I'm…' Greg began as he buttoned his shirt up in front of the mirror. She didn't turn to face him.

'Greg, its fine you don't have to explain yourself.' Sophie said steeling herself for the worst. He was going to, after having made her come undone before him, run out on her. _Why did you do it Sophie? You're an idiot and you deserve the pain that's going to come from this!_ That irritating little voice in her head screamed.

Greg walked back around the bed and knelt down next to where her head was, he put a hand on her cheek and she looked away from him. _Don't you dare cry!_ She screamed at herself.

'Are you really that thick?' He laughed a little at her shaking his head and this made her cringe a little.

'Don't.' she said and it came out a little strangled.

'Sophie I like you a lot. I do however need to go home and get a shower and a clean shirt.' He gestured to the lipstick on his collar and smiled at her. Sophie still wouldn't meet his eyes though.

'I don't want to hurt you.' Greg said his forehead creasing a little. 'That's why, I am asking, no telling you,' he stood up and walked to the end of the bed finding his shoes and pulling them on. 'That when I get back, say 6 or 7 o'clock. I expect pizza and a movie.'

Sophie let out a small laugh and shook her head at him. '6 or 7?'

'You'll see.' Greg replied pulling his coat on.

'I don't even know what pizza you like.' Sophie shouted to him as he got himself a glass of water, he gulped from it.

'Doesn't matter.' He said finishing the glass and putting it down on the side.

'What if I choose an awful movie?' Sophie bunched the duvet up to her face and squeezed it tightly.

'Doesn't matter!' he said again. 'I'll be back.' He kissed her, deeply. The kind of kiss that had just a hint of love and not enough lust and then he left, Sophie propped herself up on her elbow and watched him.

When the door clicked she threw herself back onto the bed and smiled clutching at the duvet. She could hear him whistling as his footsteps on the stairs got quieter. Happiness like she hadn't felt in so long welled up inside her. She brought her hands up to her face and smiled, it wasn't just a smile though it was a grin. That voice in her head that was trying to tell her no. That was trying to scream at her heart to be cautious was drowned out. It was drowned out by the overwhelming feelings that were screaming to be set free from her chest.

Greg stepped over the threshold of his home, whistling and smiling for the first time in a long time. Usually he entered the house brow heavy, shoulders slouched, this time though he was all back straight and beaming. He was whistling Let's Spend The Night Together by The Rolling Stones which he didn't realise until he looked at himself in the mirror doing a turn on the spot and grinning.

He heard a laugh in the light filled hallway and turned to see Charlotte, his wife, well ex-wife in everything but paper, watching him. He looked her over. She wasn't going to spoil this for him. She'd been making him feel like crap on and off again for almost two years now.

'Greg, can we talk?' She asked him. He looked at her forehead creasing in curiosity. 'I think we should give it another go, I miss you.'


	11. Chapter 11: Communication is key

_**DISCLAIMER: Obviously I don't own what you know already, all I've got are the things I've come up with and the way I've put it together. **_

_**Thankyou so much for all the lovely reviews! I'm so bloody scared of disappointing you now! I really hope I don't =) =/  
><strong>_

* * *

><p>Four times Sophie typed out text messages to Greg, she stopped herself from sending them every time. She didn't want to appear too eager. She lay in bed for a while trying to think of a film they could watch, thinking about what food to order in, did she head down to the supermarket and get the posh stuff or just stick to a takeaway? Did she clear her table and set it up all nice? Use it for once as a table rather than a desk. She needed to tidy up as well. She had clothes hanging everywhere, empty alcohol bottles strewn all over the place.<p>

Then a tight nervousness started to settle itself inside Sophie's chest, she didn't like feeling nervous, it was odd to her. She was fighting the urge too mentally put together a character for tonight, like she did other nights. When she went to the bar she'd decide, like an actor entering onto the stage just who she was going to play. She couldn't do that tonight though. She had to just be Sophie. That worried her, just Sophie wasn't simple, just Sophie wasn't a type. Normal Sophie was well normal nothing special. She liked crappy movies and was a bit of a romantic at heart. Normal Sophie hurt over stupid things, was scared of the dark and spiders and snakes. Normal Sophie wasn't really interesting or necessarily intelligent. She wasn't religious but she did believe in something. She believed in lots of things, just not God, just not the higher power.

What if Greg didn't come back, what if the exposure to normal Sophie this morning had been enough to put him off? He had said he was coming back though. What if he didn't though? It's not like there was anything to bring him back. Normal Sophie was boring, she wasn't beautiful or interesting. Normal Sophie was a mess.

Sophie was having a full on panic attack before she realised it. She couldn't breathe, chest tight, she felt helpless. She routed around for a paper bag and sat breathing into it for a few minutes. _Bloody relax! _She told herself.

'Ok, here's the plan, shower, shave, teeth, hair, makeup, tidy up, supermarket, home, wait.' She reeled them off onto her fingers, out loud. 'Don't overthink it.' She said. She couldn't stop that feeling of happiness from welling up inside her though. She couldn't stop herself from feeling excited.

* * *

><p>'I can't do this now Maria.' Greg said to his wife.<p>

'Greg, please!' The blonde replied from the doorway. She noticed he hadn't been home all night because she'd been waiting for him. She noticed the makeup on his collar too.

'What do you want me to say?' Greg sighed. He was trying to cling onto the happiness he'd felt on entering the home. Right now it felt like he was fighting a losing battle though, this was a battle he wanted to win though. He checked his watch. It was 3o'clock, he'd left Baker Street a little after 2 not realising how late it actually was until getting in the car. He'd drifted back off to sleep with his arm wrapped around Sophie and then woken up before her, he'd watched her for a while before deciding it was probably time to go home and get some clean clothes.

'I want to talk.' Maria said.

'About what?' Greg said harshly. Maria wasn't used to this. Greg usually welcomed her back with open arms.

'About us.' She replied and Greg scoffed at her causing Maria to furrow her brow. 'Greg, please.'

'I need a shower.' Greg said bluntly. He pulled his keys, phone and wallet out of his pockets and threw them on the side. All these clothes were going straight in the wash bin so there was no need to take them upstairs.

'After you've had a shower then? Just five minutes please.' Maria pleaded.

'Fine.' Greg sighed. It wasn't going to be any use, whatever she wanted from him she wasn't going to get this time. Greg shook his head and tried to think about tonight as he headed up to the shower.

Maria was worried now. Greg had always been there, always. Good old reliable Greg, it didn't matter what she did, he still loved her. So what had changed? The makeup on his shirt might be a giveaway. He couldn't be dating someone though. Who the hell would want Greg other than her? Sure in his younger days he'd been a bit of a ladies man but now, with the grey hair and the small bit of flab he was getting. Greg was getting old, who else would want him? Want to get to know him? He wasn't particularly exciting or interesting.

Maria waited for the click of the bathroom door and the sound of the shower running then she took his phone off the side. Greg had it locked but he never chose difficult passwords for anything, she guessed it in a minute. It was more a testament to Greg's failing at creating passwords then it was to how well she knew him.

The phone opened on a half written text message;

_If you choose any slushy romance films, _

_I may have to restrain yo…._

He hadn't finished it yet, Maria exited off the half typed message and began flicking through Greg's inbox. There were a few text messages from Sophie. The others were John or Sherlock or Sally.

Who was Sophie then? Maria clicked on the message, which brought up the thread of messages that had gone between them. The first few were all one sided, Greg texting Sophie, she scrolled passed these and got to the latest ones.

_When I said I'll be back that wasn't  
>A terminator reference =P<br>Greg _

_X_

_I hadn't thought of that tbh!  
>You wouldn't make a very good<br>Terminator would you?  
>Can't even get the voice right!<em>

_S  
>x<em>

_I reckon I could rival Arnie if I wanted.  
>Picked a film yet?<br>Don't agonise over it too much,  
>Not like I'm going to punish you if it's wrong!<br>=P  
>Greg<br>x_

Promises, Promises Detective ;)  
>You really shouldn't have told me to choose!<br>I might pick something outright lovey dovey,  
>just to annoy you =P<br>S  
>XxX<p>

Maria stared at the last section, the half written text message Greg had been typing out. Since when had Greg learnt to use those smilies? Since when did Greg flirt over text messages? Maria couldn't remember the last time she had text Greg. It had been a while ago. Who was this Sophie person though? Maria had heard that name before. She was sure of it.

Maria suddenly remembered where she had heard that name. Greg's birthday party, she had been the overdressed red head who Greg kept watching, the one who was with Sherlock. Didn't she know Greg was married, had the woman no shame! Maria had to put a stop to this. She wasn't going to lose Greg to that.

_I won't be coming around tonight  
>or any other night. Me and the wife<br>have sorted things, were getting back together.  
>Sorry.<em>

A reply came through about 5 minutes later;

_Is this that another movie reference?  
>I'm a little confused?<br>x_

Maria decided to put a final stop to it;

_No, not a movie reference.  
>Tbh I just used you hoping to make the wife<br>jealous. Guess it worked, sorry, honestly  
>didn't think it would bother you.<br>Greg._

Maria turned off the phone and replaced it on the side. Greg didn't generally play with his phone too much and he didn't generally check it a lot unless he got a message. By the time he checked it this time the damage would be done.  
>Greg was whistling happily to himself in the shower, when he stepped out and looked in the bathroom mirror he noticed he was sporting a scratch or two on his back from Sophie and he grinned and winked at the mirror. A tingling sensation flushed his body at the memory and then the anticipation for tonight, which would be, in Greg's mind, their first date. He was hoping she wouldn't run out on him or push him away too hard.<p>

Greg planned to go to the florist or supermarket, whichever was open on his way to Baker Street and pick up some flowers. Every girl liked flowers right? Chocolates might be overkill though. He got dressed and headed downstairs where Maria was waiting at the kitchen table. She was sat at the head of the table and he sat opposite her. They sat in silence for a few moments before she spoke.

'I do love you.' She said into the silence.

'Really?' Greg asked. 'Because you've barely spoken a word to me in the last 3 weeks.'

'I was just having a bad patch, I do love you.' Maria said. Greg scoffed at her.

'I do.' Maria repeated.

'I don't think you even know what that means anymore. Not where we are concerned.' Greg said.

'Greg I love you, you know that. I always have. I always will.' Maria's voice broke and tears formed in her eyes.

'Look can we do this another time, I'm going out later.' Greg didn't want anything to ruin tonight. He wanted to 'catch a break' just this once.

'We need to do this now.' Maria said firmly. _Not that upset then _thought Greg.

'We need to do what? Maria you've barely spoken a word to me in weeks. You still think this is a marriage?' He snapped.

'It is, it is a marriage because it's our marriage and it works.' She twisted the ring on her finger and Greg remembered what Sophie had said the first time he met her, more importantly he remembered where Sophie had heard that from, where he had first heard it. Sherlock, when he'd been talking about the woman who had been killed on A Study in Pink.

'Maybe it's not working anymore. Maybe it stopped working a while ago.' Greg said softly. He'd never been a heart breaker, ever. Most of the time women had broken up with him, or if they didn't he let them down so gently. He almost wished he had Sherlock here, Sherlock would announce their marriage to no longer be here and probably vomit divorce papers at them.

It was over. It had been for some time. Greg just didn't think he wanted to admit it to himself. She was using him. She had been for years because she thought he'd always be around. He didn't know what had changed, maybe the occupation of another woman on his brain had caused him to rethink the way he was living his life. He didn't think it was Sophie as a person who had suddenly 'made him see the light.', it was more the experience of the one night stand.

'No, no don't say that. It does work, it's always worked.' Maria said begging a little.

'Who for? You mean it worked for you. It still works for you because 'reliable' Greg will always be there. Maybe I'm tired of the way you're treating me? Maybe Maria I'm tired of listening to you bringing men home, sleeping around, making me into a joke.' Greg said.

'No, don't say that. I love you. Just sometimes life just gets too much.' Maria began.

'So you have to sleep around and have affairs?' Greg replied.

'No, I just…' Maria began.

'Just what Maria? What did lover boy dump you again and you thought you'd come running back. Greg will always be there waiting isn't that what you told your sister?' Greg snapped. That hadn't been a nice conversation to overhear.

'Yeah and she told me one day you wouldn't, she was wrong though you'll always come crawling back.' Maria snapped back turning nasty.

* * *

><p>Sophie's phone had died, it had taken her 35 minutes to find the charger, 35 agonising minutes and even though she steeled herself for the worst. Even though she told herself it didn't matter it still hurt like hell when she read that message, that reply.<p>

_No, not a movie reference.  
>Tbh I just used you hoping to make the wife<br>jealous. Guess it worked, sorry, honestly  
>didn't think it would bother you.<br>Greg._

She couldn't quite believe what she was reading. Her heart felt like it had dropped into her stomach, she could feel it burning and writing in pain inside her chest. Her eyes stinging and burning, the rising bubble in her chest that wanted to burst out into a sob.

She threw the phone across the room and then went to pick it up. She was going to give him a piece of her mind! She picked it up and dialled there was no answer. She stopped and slid down onto the floor. She didn't really have a right to be angry did she? She'd always said it was just sex. _We had sex Greg, get over it._ She heard her own words resonate in her head. It wasn't like they were dating anyway. Could Greg really be that cruel though? Had he really been that cruel after she'd laid her insecurities in front of him. Sophie thought she probably deserved it, a taste of her own medicine.

Sophie considered ringing again, she didn't though. She couldn't let him know that she was in pain. That it had hurt her, instead she got up, dusted herself off. Shut down her laptop and sat down to paint, to draw, she'd turn anything that could have been hurt into anger and paint some brutal murder scenes. That usually helped.

'Shut up.' Sophie said out loud to herself. The annoying voice in her head was back. _This is exactly why we don't get involved, don't even attempt it. You brought this on yourself. _ Sophie replayed the last 48 hours in her head over and over wondering where she had gone wrong. Watching the football in the first place, that was where she had gone wrong.

* * *

><p>Greg had argued with Maria well into the night, it was 11pm by the time he realised. Frustrated and angry from the shouting and with a headache forming, he picked up his mobile to phone Sophie and found it switched off. When he finally switched it on the first thing he did was try Sophie, the total almost got to 18 calls before he stopped. He figured she might have gone to sleep and prayed to god she wasn't worrying too much, he left her three voicemails apologising and then decided to go to bed and drop by before work in the morning. Flowers and chocolates to make up for his mistake, for a ruined evening.<p>

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: Just a note I might end up re-editing this chapter after I've written the next one, it's quite late and I just wanted to get this one up so I can start work on the next one lol anyway hope you're still enjoying!  
>Also Hoping people don't mind a bit of romance because It's going to get quite romantic at some points before drama drama drama later on. <strong>_


	12. Chapter 12: The Auction Part 1

_**DISCLAIMER: Obviously I don't own what you know already, all I've got are the things I've come up with and the way I've put it together. **_

_**Thankyou so much for all the lovely reviews! I'm so bloody scared of disappointing you now! I really hope I don't =) =/**_

_**I'm really really sorry this update took so long, I've just had a really bad week which is no excuse and I won't bore you with but yeah I hope you're continuin to enjoy =) I had to split this chapter into two because it would have been HUGE if I put them together =)  
><strong>_

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><p>Sophie didn't hear Greg knocking at her door the following morning because she was passed out. She didn't hear him at lunchtime either because she was still out of it. That time Greg assumed she must be out, even if she would have been awake she'd have ignored the door.<p>

After his text, Sophie wanted to stop whatever it was she had started feeling. She grabbed the biggest bottle of vodka she could find and didn't stop drinking until not only her speech but her thoughts were slurred. Until she could barely remember her own name let alone Greg's. She looked forward to the morning when her head pounded and she felt so ill she wouldn't be able to think about how she felt about him. Her phone started ringing again, a faint annoying buzzing in the distance. She pushed herself up on the sofa and looked around groggily for it. She found it on the floor, 34 missed calls, a combination of Greg, her boss and Cara. Cara's name flashed across the screen.

'Hello?' Sophie said her voice croaky and broken.

'Jesus Soph you sound like hell!' She said down the phone. Cara and Sophie had been at university together on the same course. Cara worked part time at the university they had both gone too, she also owned a small art shop in the centre of town.

'Sorry, give me a minute.' Sophie replied down the phone, she could hear Cara tapping her foot impatiently down her end. She sighed pushed herself up and stumbled to the kitchen for a glass of water. 'Ok what do you want?' She said her voice a little softer, head pounding.

'Can't a girl just phone an old pal once in a while?' Cara asked.

'I haven't heard from you in what 9 months?' Sophie replied. 'So what do you want?'

'That's not fair Sophie I did try to call.' Cara replied, that was true, she tried to call and text her a few times. Sophie would often either forget to reply because she wasn't used to anyone frequently texting her or she'd reply and say she was busy. Distancing herself so that Cara didn't start to think they were friends.

'I know, I know. Ok what do you want?' Sophie repeated.

'I need a favour.' Cara said. Sophie rolled her eyes.

'Go on.' She replied.

'Well, we're having this auction thing, for charity at the shop. The students on my course have all put something together to be sold but I promised a special guest. I booked Vincent but apparently he's stuck in Paris. I was wondering if you'd be able to be the special guest, you know say a few words, donate something. We've sold a fair few tickets.' Cara asked.

'Oh Cara come on.' Sophie whined.

'Please?' Cara pleaded down the phone.

'I've got a bunch of paintings that I'm not selling which you can have, when do you need them for?' Sophie asked her. 'Have you got a theme or is it just anything?'

'Anything, you're a godsend Soph! The auction is two days away, what about an appearance?' Cara asked.

'I'm nothing special Cara, a massive step down from Vincent. Maybe you should try and get someone else for that side of things.' Sophie replied.

'Sophie, we both know that's not true. Did you know one of my students wrote an essay on you last year?' Cara replied. 'You know exactly how well known you are, well how well known Rosalie is in art circles.'

Sophie had an alter ego for her artwork, she always signed it Rosalie. It was something she had come up with in college, when she had first been nervous about presenting her art work. It had gone on and developed since then into something more interesting. In the art world she was simply known as Rosalie, always the same red dress, red lipstick, diamonds and long red nails. Rosalie the woman in red, she was a character, a character who Sophie rather enjoyed playing. As with many of the characters Sophie played she was many of the things Sophie couldn't be. She was smart, confident, no insecurities, when Rosalie entered a room she owned it.

'Ok, but you owe me!' Sophie sighed down the phone.

'Great. I'll have the van come buy and pick up the paintings, if you're free you can come down. The students aren't here today.' Cara replied.

'Yeah maybe.' Sophie replied.

'Right, I'll see you later then.' Cara replied and then put the phone down. Sophie groaned loudly and put her head against the kitchen counter. Her head was pounding and she felt sick, she was unsure of whether it was the lack of food or the alcohol that was making her feel sick. She needed to shower and dress and pick out the paintings for Cara.

* * *

><p>'That's the fourth time I've seen you ignore that call.' Cara said to Sophie. She had decided in order to take her mind off everything she was feeling, which if she was honest was hurt. She would help out Cara set up the shop for the auction, she didn't dress up, just threw on shorts and a shirt, scraping her hair back. She was being Sophie. She wasn't worried about the students recognising her later because she didn't care at the moment.<p>

'I thought you didn't do the whole relationship thing.' Cara looked at her curiously.

'I don't.' Sophie replied as she held up one side of the painting so they could hang it level.

'Then who are you avoiding.' Cara asked.

'It's just some guy. I slept with him more than once.' She paused for a moment to look at Cara's expression, eyebrows raised. 'I know, I know. Golden rule never sleep with them more than once. Anyway now he won't leave me alone, he knows some of the people who live in the house and he's convinced he knows me and he wants to take me out to dinner and all that crap.' Sophie said.

'Maybe you should give him a chance?' Cara suggested.

'Ha yeah just like I gave Marty and Caroline a chance, I'm pretty happy with my solitary life the way it is thanks. I don't want someone else coming in and messing it up.' Sophie replied.

'This has nothing to do with you being scared?' Cara asked her and regretted it immediately.

'I'm not scared of anything!' Sophie hissed a little fiercely.

'No, Soph, I didn't mean. Don't go off on one ok?' Cara said softly.

* * *

><p>Greg was thoroughly confused, he hadn't had chance to phone Sophie since his unsuccessful visit to the flat because he'd been pulled into a drugs bust that had him sat on a stakeout, by the time he'd got home he was too exhausted to even shower and had only just made it up the stairs to collapse onto his bed. When he'd woken up on the Thursday morning he'd checked his phone and finding no new messages tried to ring Sophie, who was either ignoring him or had her phone off.<p>

Greg tried to not think the worst, maybe Sophie was just busy, so busy she couldn't call. Sophie couldn't understand why Greg was so desperate to get in touch with her after what he'd said in his text.

Thursday night after a hard slog in the office and getting through a mountain of paperwork, he picked up some flowers and decided to try the flat again, it was only 6'oclock if she was planning on going out, she wouldn't be yet.

'Sophie, Sophie this is stupid! You're over reacting love let me in!' Greg shouted and hammered on the door again.

'Greg?' John said suddenly appearing at the bottom of the staircase. 'What's wrong?' he asked.

'Where's Sophie?' He said seriously.

'She went out about 20 minutes ago all dressed up. What's wrong?' John asked, concern flitted across his face. What else could he think but the worst, when a Detective was in the house trying desperately to get hold of Sophie. Greg let out a long sigh and sat down banging the back of his head against Sophie's door.

'Well?' John asked he climbed half way up the stairs and sat down a little away from Greg. Greg put the flowers down and ran his fingertips over his forehead sighed again.

'You know we slept together.' Greg said.

'Yeah, I remember Sherlock saying.' John replied fiddling with paint on the stairs. 'Oh there not,' John gestured to the flowers 'I mean, Greg come on you know what Sophie's like.' He added.

Greg groaned and put his head in his hands.

'Greg. Come on.' John said.

'No, John she's not. It's different.' Greg began fumbling over his words. John looked at him like he was stupid. 'The other night after the football, we, well anyway. In the morning something changed. She's not this hard faced bitch John. Anyway she agreed to this 'date' thing, it was just pizza and a movie but once I got home Maria was there all _I think we should try again_. I told her no, but by the time we'd finished arguing it was late, really late. I tried to phone Sophie but I've gotten no reply.' Greg finished and John just stared at him for a moment and then shook his head.

'Maybe you should take the hint mate.' John said. 'Sophie's not exactly a flowers and chocolates kind of girl.'

'Shows how well you know her.' Greg said a little harshly.

'Greg I don't mean to sound, uhm' John paused. 'Like I'm interfering but you've been having problems at home for a while now. Do you not think you could be making more out of this then there is?'

'Do you know where she went?' Greg asked rubbing his forehead with his hand and standing up, ignoring John.

'Greg I'm just trying to help.' John said.

'Look John, I'm not saying I'm in love with her or anything ok. I do like her though and she likes me. I know she does. Now where did she go?' Greg asked him, he was getting annoyed. John was talking to him like he was some naïve child.

'She's got some charity auction thing. She gave me and Sherlock a leaflet about it the other day.' John shrugged and he hauled himself up on the bannister and Greg followed him into the flat and John handed him the flyer.

'Greg I don't think…' John began. Greg held his hand up at him and left calling a thank you after him.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: I also just wanted to let you know that I put together a few gifet things on tumblr because I like to do that and yeah well Satine (Moulin Rouge)/Nicole Kidman is sort of how I envision Sophie... so here's a few links to some of them I put together the gifs aren't mine. **_

__http :/ 00lovegood. tumblr. com/ post/18285674655/taken-from-my-lestrade-oc-fic-im-sorry

http: / 00lovegood. tumblr. com/ post/18415969161/this-will-be-from-carnivalesque-when-i-update

http: / 00lovegood. tumblr. com/ post/18216000895/just-another-one-sorry-dont-kill-me-fandoms-not (you need to delete the spaces)


	13. Chapter 13: The Auction Part 2

_**DISCLAIMER: Obviously I don't own what you know already, all I've got are the things I've come up with and the way I've put it together. **_

_**Thankyou so much for all the lovely reviews! I'm so bloody scared of disappointing you now! I really hope I don't =) =/**_

_**I'm really really sorry this update took so long, I've just had a really bad week which is no excuse and I won't bore you with but yeah I hope you're continuin to enjoy =) I had to split this chapter into two because it would have been HUGE if I put them together =)  
><strong>_

* * *

><p>When Greg arrived at the shop it was incredibly busy, full of men and women in somewhat smart evening dress and he felt a little shabby in comparison. He felt out of place as soon as he entered and a young girl in her late teens offered him a glass of champagne from a tray.<p>

He weaved in and out of people catching bits of conversations about brush strokes and artists intentions. Then he saw her, Sophie was stood talking, glass of champagne in her slender hands, she was nodding and smiling she looked stunning, ginger hair clipped up with small strands falling down around her face. Bright red lipstick and eyes framed in dark makeup which stood out against her pale skin. She was wearing the same red dress she'd been wearing at his birthday party. He put one hand in his pocket and let out a small laugh, shaking his head.

He watched her walking around the room for a moment, like she owned it. A far cry from the Sophie he had left the other morning. Sophie glanced around, when she saw him her eyes went wide and she seemed to flush but she continued talking to the man and woman before her. When they left Greg walked around near her and she tried to ignore him.

_'_What are you doing here?' Sophie hissed at him, realising ignoring him wasn't working.

'Sophie just listen...' Greg said.

'I think you made yourself clear, will you just leave me alone. I'll call security.' Sophie hissed at him. She smiled at the people around them trying to appear calm and collected.

'I'm a Detective. I don't really think that'll work.' Greg replied.

'Oh yeah because policemen can't get thrown out of places.' Sophie rolled her eyes at him in annoyance. Why couldn't he just leave, why was he making this so much harder for her. Was it to ease his guilt over that message?

'Sophie don't you think this is a bit of an overreaction.' Greg asked grabbing her arm lightly. She wrenched it away from him and scoffed. She was going to give him an overreaction in a moment.

'Look, you told me exactly what you thought of me in that message. You don't have to feel guilty I'm a big girl. Yes I was a little disappointed…' Sophie paused in hissing at him to greet some other people, the gallery which seemed to have gotten busier. 'Hi, hi how are you?' she smiled.

Then she went back to hissing at Greg. 'I thought you were a little more decent then that, I guess you must really...'

'Text message? What text message?' Greg asked looking thoroughly confused and catching Sophie's arm again.

Sophie scoffed at him not really believing what she was hearing. She made to stalk away from him but he still had hold of her arm and he turned her back to face him.

'What message?' he asked a little seriously this time. Sophie downed her drink and put it on the side and then routed through her small purse in silence.

'Rosalie! Darling! How the devil are you?' Sophie turned and smiled she finished fishing out the phone. She found the messages relatively quickly and handed it to Greg then stepped away from him to greet the people who were talking to her.

'No interrupting are we?' The man said wiggling his eyebrows.

'Not at all.' Sophie said greeting them with a kiss on each cheek. Greg noticed she was making herself sound very proper and posh. He stopped looking at the messages for a moment. 'Just a client!'

'A rather dashing client. I have the feeling we've seen you somewhere before.' The lady said, she was older dressed in an evening gown.

'You're that Detective, aren't you, from Scotland Yard.' The older gentlemen said puffing out his chest which was large and rounded. Rosy cheeks, Greg didn't need Sherlock to tell him that they clearly had money. He was larger, clearly well fed and his wife was thin and well dressed, she'd clearly had work done on her face too.

'Greg.' He held out a hand and the older gentlemen shook it.

'So, looking to commission our Rosalie then? Yes well she comes highly recommended, we caught her just out of art school, gave her the first proper job. She did a brilliant number on our nursery.' He beamed.

'Tonight though we're here to see our son Argus, he was inspired by Rosalie somewhat, wants to move into photography though.' They both beamed at Sophie and she smiled and nodded. Greg had gone back to scrolling through the phone. He wasn't even aware when the couple disappeared.

'I didn't send this Soph.' Greg said quietly. He went through his own outbox double checking, sure enough the messages were there but he'd never written them.

'Well it came from your phone.' Sophie hissed at him.

'Sophie!' A voice hissed from a short way from them, Cara was beckoning her forward.

'Look, you made yourself clear now leave me alone.' Sophie said to Greg.

'Just give me five minutes to explain,' Greg said. 'I don't know what happened.'

'Well if you don't know how can you explain?' Sophie hissed at him and straightening herself out she walked over to Cara.

'Who's that?' Cara asked her.

'No one.' Sophie replied a little sourly.

'You ready? We want to start the auction soon.' Cara smiled at her.

'Lead the way.' Sophie replied. They'd set up a small stage with a podium, there were seats scattered around but there was nothing formal and most people stayed standing. Cara gave Sophie a very flattering introduction keeping to her stage name and Sophie positively beamed as she walked out. Greg watched her intently as she spoke.

'When Cara asked me two days ago to open this auction, I was I must admit more than a little reluctant. As an artist I am not much of a performer and I am certainly not famed for my public speaking. I am however glad she convinced me, auctions like this are not just important for charities they are important for the young artists too, because it is another showcase of their talents. And believe me when I say there is most definitely some talent in this room. So much so, it is enough to make me nervous. Without further ado than I would like to invite our official auctioneer up to begin the proceedings. Please dig deep and remember that all our artists have offered up the opportunity for you to somewhat discuss their work with them should you choose to buy it.' Sophie smiled and allowed the auctioneer up onto the stage to a tame round of applause. Greg watched her she reminded him of someone and he couldn't quite put his finger on it. She had sounded very elegant and well to do up on the stage.

As she moved back into the crowd Greg tried to catch her again and ended up stood about a person behind her. As one of Sophie's lots came up Greg had an idea.

'200 pounds to the gentlemen.' He gestured to Greg. 'Do I hear 250? 250! Do I hear 300?' Greg made another movement with his hand and Sophie turned to stare at him.

'What are you doing?' she hissed.

'Well, you said if you buy a painting you get a Q&A with the artist, then you'll have to listen to me.' Greg said, he licked his lips again and Sophie noticed he did that a lot.

'Don't be an idiot you can't afford that.' Sophie hissed as Greg nodded to a bid of £600.

'Then save me some money.' He said to her. She looked at him defiantly for a moment until he nodded again to another bid. She turned and stalked away from him and Greg wondered if she was expecting him to follow, which he did anyway. He followed her until they were in a narrow corridor near the toilets.

'I didn't send that text message Soph.' Greg said both hands in his coat and he shrugged.

'What was it then, autocorrect?' She said sarcastically but Greg just gave her a confused look clearly not someone who had heard many hilarious stories about autocorrect, or the term being used in this way. That was kind of cute.

'Soph.' Greg began.

'It's So-phIE!' She said through gritted teeth. 'Not everyone gets to give me a nickname.'

'I went home and Maria was there, she gave me this whole _I want us to get back together _speech but I told her I was tired of being pushed around.' Greg suddenly slapped his hand against his forehead. 'I know exactly where those texts came from. I went upstairs for a shower before we talked, left my phone on the table, it was off later on I just thought the battery had died.' Greg said watching her, the pieces all suddenly falling into place for him. Sophie leant her head back against the wall ignoring him. He grabbed her hands and stood in front of her trying to make eye contact.

'I was going to come back but it was late, I tried calling and then I was on the stakeout! I even brought you bloody flowers.' Greg said. Sophie's eyes flinched onto him for a minute. A part of her, a big part of her was cheering inside and happily dancing, another part of her was screaming for her to make sure he didn't come back because she couldn't deal with this.

'It's all just a big misunderstanding Soph.' Greg said and he put a hand on her face his thumb brushing over her cheek. A misunderstanding that had caused Sophie pain, physically and mentally, was Greg expected to put up with this behaviour from her.

'I'm sorry I over reacted…' she began.

'No it's ok love, I understand.' Greg said, she liked it when he called her love, there was such affection in his voice and it made her heart melt.

'It's probably for the best though, we shouldn't…' she began trying to push him away. 'I mean, you're lovely Greg and you deserve someone better than Maria and definitely someone better than this…' she gestured to herself and looked up at the ceiling as though trying not to cry. 'It wouldn't work anyway, I mean you're lovely and I'm just, just.'

'Don't Sophie.' Greg said and he returned his hand to her face. She looked up and round anywhere but his face, why was his face so close to hers, why was he looking at her like that. She knew she had to stop this now but she couldn't, she wanted more than anything for him to kiss her. She wanted him to fight off the darkest parts of her and claim her heart for his.

Sophie breathed in deeply still avoiding Greg's eyes looking anywhere else she could.

'Do you really want me to go?' it was barely audible and almost strangled as he said it. Greg hadn't felt this rush in a long time. He hadn't wanted to be this close to someone in a long time. It was probably more lust than anything driving him at the moment but there was a part of him that just wanted to wrap Sophie up in his arms and never let her go.

Sophie shook her head and few tears escaped her. 'No.' she barely whispered closing her eyes so she wouldn't have to look at him. 'And it terrifies me.' Greg put his forehead to hers for a moment and sighed a small chuckle seemed to shake at his shoulders and then he kissed her keeping his hand on her face, thumb roughly brushing her cheek where the small amount of blush sat and he put the other hand against the wall to steady himself a little. She was a tiny bit taller than him in the heels she had on, not by much though, nothing noticeable. She kissed him back finding she couldn't resist, she couldn't tear herself away from him and she felt that familiar heat spread through her body.

'I've got a question.' Greg said when he pulled away from her. Sophie looked at him a little confused.

'Who the hell is Rosalie? And is she as posh as she sounds!' he smiled. She liked the way his face crinkled when he did, the way his shoulders shook with the chuckle. Sophie let out a small laugh too. A rather sordid thought went through Greg's mind a bit of role play they could try.

'She's a character I created in college to help me present my work. I wasn't very confident about my art and pretending to be someone else helped. It kind of spiralled from there.' She chuckled a little.

'Well Rosalie looks very nice.' Greg replied looking her up and down.

'Don't scrub up too bad yourself Detective.' Sophie smirked and pulled him into a kiss again wrapping her hands around his neck. She stopped after a moment. 'Do really think this'll work?' she asked him.

'Well we might want to nip into the toilets, bit more private.' Greg smirked at her.

'I don't mean that' Sophie replied cocking an eyebrow at him.

'I know what you meant.' Greg replied. 'And there's only one way to find out love.' He kissed her again, putting his hands on her hips and pulling them towards him while her shoulders remained against the wall, closing any space between their bodies and holding her close for a moment.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: I also just wanted to let you know that I put together a few gifet things on tumblr because I like to do that and yeah well Satine (Moulin Rouge)/Nicole Kidman is sort of how I envision Sophie... so here's a few links to some of them I put together the gifs aren't mine. **_

http :/ 00lovegood. tumblr. com/ post/18285674655/taken-from-my-lestrade-oc-fic-im-sorry

http: / 00lovegood. tumblr. com/ post/18415969161/this-will-be-from-carnivalesque-when-i-update

http: / 00lovegood. tumblr. com/ post/18216000895/just-another-one-sorry-dont-kill-me-fandoms-not (you need to delete the spaces)


	14. Chapter 14: Vampire Bites

_**DISCLAIMER: Obviously I don't own what you know already, all I've got are the things I've come up with and the way I've put it together. **_

_**Thankyou so much for all the lovely reviews! I'm so bloody scared of disappointing you now! I really hope I don't =) =/**_

* * *

><p>Greg was up on his elbow, one hand was stroking the soft pale skin of Sophie's arm. He was nestled close to her and couldn't resist keep kissing her shoulder as she slept. He was counting down the moments until he knew he had to get up for work. Last night had been sweet and loving. He had fallen asleep with Sophie's head on his chest and woken up with his hands wrapped around her waist. The grin on his face just wouldn't seem to go and he'd stopped his alarm swiftly the second time it had gone off, he put his phone on silent and simply let himself sink into some sort of day dream as his hands and fingers trailed up and down Sophie's arm. The third time his phone started to buzz he knew he had to get up, he knew he had to drag himself from the warm bed and the smell of cocoa butter on Sophie's shoulders and head into the office. He planted a final kiss on her shoulder and sighed, breathing in that smell one last time before he pulled his arm away from her slowly trying not to wake her.<p>

'Hmm, I was enjoying that.' Sophie muttered as he got up.

'Sorry, I've got work.' He smiled at her sleepy voice.

She turned over and with one eye open, the other closed and half her face buried in the pillow she watched him getting dressed. Sophie turned herself over, rubbed her eyes ran her fingers lazily through her hair and sat up against the back of the headboard. She drew the duvet up under her arms and brought her knee's up to her chest, eyes still trained on Greg as he adjusted his shirt in the mirror.

'I've not even had chance to make you breakfast, couldn't you be a little late?' she asked him a coy smile on her face. Greg was so close to just phoning in sick and claiming he had the flu when she did that. He resisted though.

'As tempting as that offer is, I need to go in. Murders aren't going to solve themselves.' He replied and disappeared into the bathroom to brush his teeth.

'They will if you give them Sherlock.' Sophie called to him. Greg stuck his head out of the bathroom door just so he could raise his eyebrows at her in annoyance and Sophie felt herself go a little giggly.

'Are you coming back tonight?' She asked kneeling up on the bed as he crossed to the kitchen and got himself a drink of water. He sat himself down on the couch and started putting on his shoes. Sophie hoped he was coming back, last night simply wasn't enough. She'd made a substantial amount for charity but they hadn't left the gallery and gotten home until at least 12am. They tumbled into bed barely muttering anything to each other and had fallen asleep afterwards quickly.

'I don't want to promise anything, love.' He head huffing a little as he pulled at his shoe laces.

'Ok, guess I'll have to entertain myself then.' She said and Greg could see the smirk dancing on her face without having to turn around. He could see her spread out on that bed her own pale slender hands running over her pale skin, over the curve of her stomach and down between her thighs. He felt a tightening in his stomach and let out a small cough.

'I might get caught up on a case but if not I'll come back.' Greg smiled at her as he walked over to the bed.

'You could always go home and get couple of shirts, spend a couple of nights here.' She said a little nervously. Greg looked at her curiosity, surprise and a little bit of happiness flitted across his face. 'I mean you don't have to, I just thought, with what you said about your house. I'm not asking you to move in, god no, I just meant that, well that you could spend a few nights here, not many just maybe two or something.' Sophie babbled getting more flustered and embarrassed as she went on. She let her head drop to her knees and sighed. She hadn't done this whole 'being together' thing in so long she couldn't work out what the correct etiquette was.

'That sounds perfect.' Greg replied. 'Now though, I have to go.' He leant in to give her a quick kiss on the lips but Sophie pulled him in close and kissed him deeply, deeper than he'd been expecting and it made his stomach tighten and a tingling sensation spread through him. _Did he really have to go in?_ He thought as she pulled away a satisfied smirk on her face at his slight breathlessness.

'Just, letting you know what you're missing.' She said and lay back down. Greg realised he was still leaning over the bed and straightened himself up. He adjusted his shirt once more.

'I'll see you later.' He said heading for the door. He got onto the other side breathed and smiled leaning against it for a moment. He really wanted to go back in there but the rule maker in him was screaming that he needed to set an example to his work force. He shouldn't be late, but he couldn't in all honesty resist and after a moment being stood at the top of the stairs he opened the door again. Sophie was sat up, legs over the end of the bed all exposed. The corners of the duvet were tucked up around her arms barely keeping her warm and she looked surprised when he came back in and kicked the door shut behind him.

'I suppose I can be late this once.' He said kicking his shoes and pants off so he was left in his boxers, he did all this very quickly which impressed Sophie and she raised an eyebrow at him.

'Don't you have to set an example or something?' She asked.

'You started this.' He said pushing her back onto the bed and settling himself in between her legs. Sophie let out a giggle and a moan as he kissed her neck, nibbling on her ear. He nibbled the curve of her neck where it met her shoulder which elicited a shudder from her that Greg very much enjoyed. He kissed her flicking his tongue over her top lip again and Sophie almost purred.

'I don't think, we'll be needing this.' He said pulling the two corners of the duvet that had been up around her arms apart and taking in the sight of her body laid out in front of him. Sophie scraped her nails down his chest and Greg moved his hips into her causing her to groan, she could feel him through his boxers and wanted nothing more than him to just get inside her.

Greg trailed two fingers down in between her breasts over her stomach and down between her legs. Sophie let out a satisfied moan when his fingers entered her and she thrust onto him so they were pushed deeper inside her. Sophie couldn't concentrate on trying to please Greg because she was too busy enjoying herself, Greg didn't mind though. Seeing the effect he was having on her made him harder than he'd have thought possible. He felt her tighten around his fingers and she let out some profanity or another as her hips rolled faster and she came. He liked foul mouthed Sophie, it somewhat contrasted with her appearance and it was quite the turn on.

'You, are a, very, bad man, Detective.' She panted.

'You don't know the half of it.' He whispered into her ear. He stood up and wriggled out of his boxers and handed her a silver packet beckoning her forward with his finger. It was routine now, a routine Greg didn't think he was ever going to get bored of because she knew just how to flick her tongue in the right way and just where to put the pressure. His hands slipped a little on her shoulders and he groaned. He let her bring him to edge, to the point where he thought he just might go over that edge into bliss. Then he pulled back from her and Sophie pouted which made him tighten all over, heat surging through his body. Greg pushed her down on the bed hard and watched her eyes widen and the blissful smile appear on her face as he entered her.

At first he was slow, long teasing thrusts that were driving Sophie a little insane. When Sophie dug her nails into his back and looked at him sternly almost growling his name at him he knew he couldn't hang around and picked up the pace.

They both came hard, Greg moaned Sophie's name loudly and when she bit down hard on his shoulder he felt a whole new wave of ecstasy pass over him. He collapsed on top of her and she trailed her fingers up and down his back which was now littered with red trails from her fingers.

Before he stood up he nuzzled his nose against hers in what some might call an eskimo kiss. Greg wasn't entirely sure if this was politically correct anymore. Sophie's breath was just returning to normal underneath him and she leaned up to kiss him, running her hand through his hair.

'Ok now, I really have to go to work.' Greg said pulling his pants back on and re-buttoning his shirt which he hadn't realised had been opened. Sophie pouted at him playfully and Greg kissed her before heading for the door. Sophie lay back on the bed and felt something digging in her as she rolled over. Greg's ID badge, she jumped up and threw on her bathrobe.

'Greg!' she shouted after him, she came down the stairs a little quickly and caught him in the corridor just near John's room.

'You forgot this.' She smiled handing him the Id badge.

'Bloody thing.' Greg said cramming it into his coat pocket. 'I'm always losing these.' He laughed as he turned to leave.

'Greg.' Sophie said again, when he turned she pulled him by the edges of his coat into a long lingering kiss and then sent him on his way.

John stood a little open mouthed having just come out of his flat, he gestured to Greg with his hands and then to Sophie but didn't say anything.

'What?' Sophie smiled at him, tightened her bathrobe and disappeared back upstairs.

'You'll never believe what I've just seen.' John said as he entered the flat to find Sherlock working on some experiment or another.

'Oh I doubt that John.' Sherlock replied a little too cheerily, he must have a new case to work on.

'Lestrade and Sophie.' John said wandering around the table, he put a hand on Sherlock's shoulder and peered over it at what the detective was studying.

'Oh that, yes.' Sherlock simply replied.

* * *

><p>'Oh Jesus Soph!' Greg said into the mirror of his car. He'd just been checking for lipstick on his collar and it was a good job because otherwise he wouldn't have seen the dirty, great bite mark that was just peeking out over his collar, which Sophie had left on his neck.<p>

_What were you doing?  
>Marking your territory?<br>x_

He typed out as he made his may across the car park.

_Oh, Jesus is why is your back bad?  
>S<br>x_

_My back! I'm talking about my neck!  
>Bloody hell woman! I look like<br>I spent the night with a vampire!  
>x<em>

_Sorry, I won't do it again!  
>S<br>X_

_Well now I didn't say that!  
>Just have to be a little more discreet<br>next time.  
>x<em>

_Like thighs and chest ;)  
>Or maybe I should keep my talents<br>with my mouth for elsewhere.  
>x<em>

Greg felt hot under the collar as he read it. He checked around him several times, making sure no one was reading over his shoulder.

_Will you behave!  
>It's alright for you at home<br>I've got to go into the office.  
>I've got to play at being boss with a<br>dirty great vampire bite on my neck.  
>x<em>

_Should of stayed here then,  
>you could have returned the favour!<br>Now I'm all alone I'll have to just imagine it.  
>You being the big bad Detective boss that you<br>are shouldn't be too hard to entertain myself though.  
>;P<br>x_

_Sophie!  
>x <em>

_Sorry! Have a good day  
>Detective.<br>I'll see you later… hopefully.  
>x <em>


	15. Chapter 15: Sweet Phobia

_**DISCLAIMER: Obviously I don't own what you know already, all I've got are the things I've come up with and the way I've put it together. **_

_**Thankyou so much for all the lovely reviews! I'm so bloody scared of disappointing you now! I really hope I don't =) =/**_

* * *

><p>'What are we going to see then?' Sophie asked Greg as she got into his car outside Baker Street. The past two weeks had been bliss, they hadn't spent every night together but it was still nice. It worked, Sophie wasn't used to having anyone around and Greg didn't want to move to fast. Sophie couldn't help feel herself falling more for him every time he was around.<p>

'You said my choice right? So I saw an advert for this film called Nobodies Stand.' Greg said glancing at her as he drove along.

'Sounds, wonderful.' Sophie said furrowing her brow a little.

'I don't really know what it's about. It said on the poster it's a thriller/action thing. Is that ok? We can pick something else?' Greg replied.

'No, no that's fine, you know me I'll watch almost anything once.' She smiled at him. Greg half wished she didn't dress up as much as she did when they went out. It made him feel self-conscious. He could see people watching them and wondering what this younger woman was doing with him. Greg hadn't even known the age difference until a week ago. They'd been lay in bed and Sophie had made a comment…

_'I'm not a teenager.' She had giggled at him. _

_'How old are you?' he had asked her in all seriousness. _

_'36' Sophie had said burying her head in his chest. _

_'Well now I do feel old.' Greg said letting out a half laugh. _

_'Why?' Sophie asked, running her fingers over his chest. _

_'I'm 44 Soph.' Greg said suddenly feeling a lot older than that though. What was he playing at she was 8 years his junior. She could probably find someone younger, someone fitter who's hair wasn't grey and who didn't have the beginnings of a middle aged belly. _

_'Ha, that's nothing.' Sophie smiled at him. 'You don't look that old, besides you could be sixty and I don't think I'd mind.' She kissed his chest. _

Now he knew, now it was there it was niggling at the back of his mind when they were out. She still put on a mask when they went out, they were only going to the cinema yet here she was, in shorts and a tight fitting shirt with long sleeves, make-up perfect. Hair down in waves around her shoulders, lips bright and eyes framed, perfect as ever, attracting attention as ever. Here he was still in his black work trousers and shirt which had an ink stain in the corner. He knew people were watching them and he knew exactly what they were thinking. Sophie seemed to like the attention they got and she moved closer to Greg and slipped her hand into his squeezing it hard and grinning at him.

It turned out Greg had made a very poor choice in the film he had picked for them to watch, it was a dark and atmospheric chiller that featured freaky looking aliens and lots of dark scary parts and places. Greg didn't realise of course he was enjoying the film too much. He was halfway through the popcorn when he actually looked at Sophie for a moment. She had her feet up on the seat. Knees drawn up to her chest, she had her head turned watching him through her fingers.

'Are you ok?' he whispered. Sophie just nodded, Greg looked at her for a moment but she nodded and said she was fine so he went back to watching.

'What did you think?' he asked her when they were heading back to the car, she'd gone very quiet and was gripping his arm rather tighter than usual.

'Yeah, it was good.' Sophie said quietly.

'Did you not like it?' he asked curiously wondering what was wrong with her.

'Yeah, it was good, it was a good twist with the aliens.' She smiled. It wasn't a good twist, it wasn't a good twist at all and now a thousand things were running through her mind, worried about her reaction later on, worrying about her reaction now, about panicking, about the dark. She was panicking about panicking! Surely it wasn't that unusual, everyone has something right? Something that just gets them?

Greg found it a bit odd in the car that Sophie avoided any conversation about the film and it wasn't until the dead of night when he'd realise why. He could feel Sophie moving around next to him in her sleep but he was drifting in and out of consciousness himself and paid it no heed. He turned the lamp out like always and fell to sleep. Sophie on the other hand didn't and at 3 o'clock or there about, Greg woke up to find the bed empty, the light in the bathroom was on but the door was shut as though she was trying not to disturb him. She still didn't come out after five minutes and Greg wondered what she was doing when he heard her breathing deeply in and out.

'Soph are you alright love?' he asked.

'Yeah, yeah fine.' She said now panicking even more, she couldn't let Greg see her like this. She started hastily trying to stuff the tablets back into the cupboard and return her breathing to normal but he opened the door before she could.

'Hey, hey, hey.' He said taking her hands as she shook trying to stuff the tablets away. 'Soph what's wrong?' he asked concern etched across his face, it was obvious she'd been crying and her hands were shaking.

'It's nothing, it's stupid. I just panicked.' She said pulling herself together and breathing in deeply.

'What's all this?' he asked taking the small bag off her and putting the tablets back inside it. He wasn't going to pretend that he knew what half of them were. Paracetamol, ProPlus, ibuprofen, the usual and then various other silvery packets of pills with names he couldn't pronounce.

'Nothing, it, it doesn't matter.' Sophie said wringing her hands out and standing up off the bath. Greg looked at the bag for a moment and put it back on the side wondering what on earth was wrong with her. Sophie walked into the kitchen, flicking all the lights on as she went. She fidgeted oddly and wouldn't meet his eyes.

'Soph?' he said.

'Greg, seriously it doesn't matter ok, it's just some stupid thing.' She smiled but it was nervous. Like she was hiding something, Greg was a Detective he was going to notice something was wrong, that she was hiding something and bug her until she told. That was his job.

'It's stupid and you'll laugh but it's something I can't shake.' She said she hoisted herself up onto the kitchen counter and getting a glass of water. He watched her curiously, arms folded and leaning against the door frame.

'I've got this fear, this phobia.' She said rubbing the palm of her hand with her thumb a little hard. Greg lifted his head watching her even more curious now. He walked over to her and stood in front of her. 'I mean like heart racing, dry mouth, panic inducing fear. It's stupid I know it's stupid, 36 and still scared of the dark, well not the dark technically it's what's in the dark, in the pitch black darkness and most of the time it doesn't bother me. Don't even think about it, but that film made me dream and that always leads to graphic night terrors and then… and it's just stupid. I mean who at my age is scared of the dark really, I mean come on. It's ridiculous and I have these tablets that are supposed to calm me down but I'm pretty sure they're just placebo's and for years I had sleeping tablets and I mean it's stupid and you can laugh.' Greg watched her as she babbled and nearly wore a hole in her hand with her thumb. If Greg didn't have Sherlock as a friend he might have struggled to understand and keep track of the babble, but he caught it all and he understood. He'd seen some of the most brutal men turn to simpering babies when presented with that cold cell as night time came. He knew it had nothing to do with the fact they'd been arrested, the fear of being in trouble and had everything to do with the way those cells became one big enclosed shadow. Greg fully understood and he moved closer to her.

'Snakes.' Greg said. 'Snakes have always terrified me. Snakes. Just saying the word gives me chills. My brother bought a bag full of them rubber ones once and filled the bath with them just as I was about to get in.' Greg shuddered and took hold of Sophie's hands. 'Everyone's got something love.' He smiled at her.

'Sorry,' Sophie said. 'Sorry, I just, I didn't mean to wake you up.' She said.

'You should have woken me up anyway love, it's fine. Honestly, it's nothing to be ashamed of. I've been on the force a long time and you learn a lot about people in general. I can tell you now, everyone has something that makes them shake in their boots scared, at least it's not buttons or something.' He let out a low chuckle that seemed to settle some of the fear and tightness in Sophie's chest.

'I'll tell you a secret, I never go down to that morgue alone, ever. Always wait until there's someone else in there. Freaks me out, the bodies and the silence, when you're down there it's eerie and odd and I don't know how Molly stands it.' He said.

'Really? Aren't you supposed to you know get used to it?' she pushed herself off the counter and onto the floor.

'Oh no, you don't get used to it, you just learn to react differently. It never bothered me until some of the lads played a practical joke on me when I'd just started as D.I scared the crap out of me, little bastards.' Greg said and Sophie chuckled a little.

'I don't like spiders either. Reckon you can deal with them?' Sophie asked.

'I'll get the spiders, you get the snakes. I'll even protect you from the dark.' Greg smiled and pulled her into a hug kissing the top of her head gently. 'Next time you don't like a film Sophie love, just say ok? I'd rather you be honest with me, even if you think it's silly.' He added kissing her gently.

Sophie climbed back into bed and let Greg turn the lights out, Greg climbed in next to her and put one hand around her waist pulling her close and kissing the top of her spine, nuzzling his nose against it and letting her fall to sleep before he followed suit. The fear in Sophie ebbed away before her eyes shut a feeling of utter protection and security washing over her.

* * *

><p>The next day Sophie it was Sophie who had to work later than usual. Greg had only caught bits of the conversation on the phone but it seemed that a company wanted her to do some illustrations for a series of graphic novels or comic books. Sophie had said she'd be back by six thirty and seven at the latest. Greg was planning a night of curling up on the sofa with pizza and a decent film. He was just in his car on the way back from work when he got her first text.<p>

_I'm stuck in traffic, some cyclist  
>is kicking off or something, if he<br>doesn't hurry up and move his arse  
>though you might be arresting me<br>for murder! Mrs H will let you in though,  
>I'll be about half an hour!<br>xx_

_Okie Doke,  
>Don't get yourself into too much<br>trouble though Soph, I kind of like  
>having you around.<br>xx_

_Only kind of? Well that's not much  
>reason to stay out of trouble is it?<br>Wouldn't you help me get out of the  
>country? Help me bury the body?<br>xx _

_ I'm a detective!  
>x<em>

_=( =(_

_Besides you really think we'd get very  
>far, we both know Sherlock. In a<br>world with Sherlock there is no way I'd  
>commit a crime!<br>x _

_That's a very good point!  
>xx <em>

_You moving yet love?  
>xx<em>

_No =( even my bloody taxi drivers  
>getting involved now!<br>The guys taking up the whole bloody road!  
>x =<em>

_Want me to get some uniform down there?  
>Want me to come pick you up?<br>x _

_No, you can't get up or down the street it's  
>gridlocked. I think someone's called them.<br>Mrs H isn't chewing your ear off  
>is she?<br>x _

_No I'm just having a beer with John actually.  
>x <em>

_Glad someone's enjoying themselves!  
>x <em>

_There's a spare key on top of my  
>doorframe, if you want to let yourself in.<br>xx _

_Am I not entertaining enough  
>now you've got John then?<br>xx_

_Guess not._

_Soph, are you still stuck?  
>xx <em>

_Soph wher are you?  
>x<em>

_Sop wikl u hurry up!  
>x <em>

_Drnk and wantingyou with me  
>x <em>

_Sorry moving now, don't worry  
>I've not been arrested =P<br>I'll be home soon! Hope I'm not in  
>too much trouble Detective!<br>x _

_ They'll be trouble if that taxi  
>doesn't hurry up!<br>x _

_Promises, Promises Detective!  
>x <em>

_Oh don't bloody start  
>that again Soph! I couldm't leave<br>the office for an good thisrty mins  
>the other day because of you!<br>x_

_You should of come home then!  
>x <em>

_I had papawrk and then we got  
>a blody call!<br>x _

_I think you'll find you started that one  
>Detective.<br>x_

_You and your filthy mind started it  
>actiuajll!<br>X _

_I'm sorry Detective you just do  
>something to me =P<br>x_

_Really? ;)  
>x <em>

_So really it's your fault!  
>x <em>

_Soph, hurry the fox home now!  
>x<em>

_Fox is that a new slang term?_

_X_

_Stupid Autmdorrect!  
>Just get your arse home ok!<br>x_

_Patience Detective! Patience!  
>x<em>

_What if I haven't got any?  
>x<em>

_Well that's your loss and mine,  
>Detective!<br>x _

_Why?  
>x<em>

_Well if you don't wait for me  
>however will you teach me<br>a lesson and however will  
>I apologise for being so late<br>x_

_Soph don't!  
>x<em>

_Don't what? I was planning on making  
>it up to you in the best possible<br>way to.  
>x<em>

_Fucking hell Soph don't start with that!  
>How far away are you?<br>x_

_fifteen minutes =)  
>x<em>

_Tell the driver I'll give  
>him fifty quid if he gets you here in 5.<br>x _

_Fifty is that all I'm worth?  
>=P<br>x _

_No but it's all I can afford.  
>Hurry up!<br>x _

When Sophie eventually got home Greg was passed out on the sofa. Phone still in his hand and half a text message typed out. Sophie let out a laugh at him. He was dead to the world. She kicked off her shoes, took his phone out of his hand and put it on the side. Made sure he was a little more comfortable on the couch, threw a blanket over him and then climbed into bed with her laptop.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN : As always hope you enjoyed. Sorry about the text message thing I just find the idea of them texting kid of cute so yeah. Promise next chapter will be longer and sorry there's only one today x**_


	16. Chapter 16: The Office

_**DISCLAIMER: Obviously I don't own what you know already, all I've got are the things I've come up with and the way I've put it together. **_

_**Thankyou so much for all the lovely reviews! I'm so bloody scared of disappointing you now! I really hope I don't =) =/**_

* * *

><p><em>Can we please just talk about this?<br>Maria. _

_Answer your phone Greg!  
>Maria <em>

'Of course the killer has no idea that we know about the pattern.' Sherlock said pacing the office, Greg wasn't paying attention though. He was checking his phone. He was a little stressed at the moment and Sherlock as brilliant as he was, wasn't helping the matter.

'Pattern? Sherlock what are you talking about?' John asked him.

'The pattern, the pattern John, god I can't believe you didn't see it. All the same blood type, all the victim's names. They spell something out, something I'm not quite sure of yet.' Sherlock said.

'What are you talking about?' John said.

'Oh John will you open your eyes, look the only thing that connects all the victims is that they were in hospital, that they all have the same blood type. So there must be something else too!' Sherlock said.

'No Sherlock, at least two of the victims don't have the same blood type as the others.' John said taking the file from him and flicking through it. Greg rubbed his forehead with his fingers.

'They don't?' Sherlock said, snatching the file back off John. Greg checked his watch again, 9 hours left on his shift.

Greg wasn't exactly having the best of weeks. He'd barely seen anything of Sophie and after seeing her pretty constantly for the past few weeks, he had to admit that he missed her more than he thought he would. It didn't help that he'd been spending the best part of two and a half weeks (when he wasn't at Sophie's) sleeping in his office. He didn't want to ask Sophie if he could stay at hers, it was too soon.

Greg had only taking to sleeping in the office in the first place because Maria wouldn't leave him alone at home. She'd even taken, in her desperation to try and win him back, to strutting around half naked, even when Greg paid her no attention she'd continued. He'd caught her eyeing his phone when it went off too and listening in on his conversations with Sophie. He was flat hunting, looking for something cheap but in the meantime he didn't want to stay in that house, it made him uncomfortable. Now he was stiff and grumpy from sleeping on the couch in the office.

The only good thing at the moment was the fact they'd managed to put the house on the market and the estate agent was showing people around. Greg had boxed up a lot of his stuff and put it into storage despite Maria's protests. Even without Sophie this was a new start for him and the quicker he could sever ties, the better in his eyes.

'So you're saying it had to be someone who knows the victims have been in hospital?' Greg said not entirely sure he'd heard the last five minutes of speech.

'Oh! Oooh! Oh!' Sherlock exclaimed throwing his hands up in the air, a motion that Greg had seen countless times before. John shot him a look and raised his eyebrows. 'It's a game don't you see, it's a game that's what's going on, a game with the police to see if he can spell out whatever it is before you catch him, or rather I catch him.' Sherlock said.

'Come on John we've got work to do!' Sherlock cried, Greg wasn't paying attention though his phone buzzed again and this time it was Sophie.

_Are you coming around  
>tonight?<br>xxx_

He smiled at the message it was nice to know someone wanted him around but he couldn't see her, not in the mood he was in, he was in work until late anyway.

_Sorry love, working til late  
>x<em>

Greg's day went from one disaster to another. He got a call from the estate agent while he was on his lunch telling him that the house had been in an 'unacceptable' condition when the people viewing had arrived. This led to him having a very heated argument with Maria who called Sophie some very nasty names and then him before hanging up and threatening to ensure the house never sold.

Then he'd got into rather a nasty scuffle out on an arrest. He'd been attacked by the two offenders; one had hit him hard across the stomach with a wooden bat and his ribs were now sore. The other had caught him off guard and a black eye was forming as well as a split lip. Now he was feeling worse than he had done earlier. He was stressed and exhausted and at half nine when he was supposed to clock off he sunk back in his chair and stared at the computer screen for a minute. He looked out into the offices outside his own and saw that hardly anyone remained, that was good. They wouldn't ask him any questions. He could have done with a warm bed but he couldn't put all this on Sophie. He didn't expect her to have to deal with the stresses he was facing.

He wanted more than anything to see her though. He sighed rubbed his forehead with his hand and turned the screen off.

Greg didn't have to wait long to see Sophie though. When Sgt Kerri eventually left the office, giving him a small wave, Greg pulled out the blanket and pillow he'd stuffed under the leather couch, closed the blinds and then took off his jacket and shoes wincing as he went. That bastard had definitely gotten lucky. Greg was just grateful John had been there, the bastard who had punched him probably wasn't, as he was now nursing a broken nose in a prison cell.

There was a soft knock on the door and Greg looked up curiously. He didn't bother slipping the jacket or shoes back on. He just opened the door a fraction and was surprised when he saw Sophie stood on the other side. She was in her black mac and heels.

'I have a somewhat special deliver…. Bloody hell Greg what happened!' she cried pushing the door a little. 'And what on earth is all this?' she asked, Greg could detect just a hint of hurt in her voice as she saw his setup on the couch.

'How did you know I was here?' Greg asked running his hand through his hair and feeling a little ashamed. Like he needed to know the answer though, first thing he'd said to him when he entered the office earlier in the day was 'I see you've been using your office as a bedroom again.'

'Sherlock.' Sophie said with a hand on her hip. 'I don't understand… and what happened to your face?' she added.

'Oh, what this, idiot suspect.' He said, she watched him wince as he sat down on the couch. Greg touched the bruise on his cheek which was still tender. He'd be feeling that for a while. He noticed Sophie had a small basket in her hands and she put it down on the desk. She moved back towards him and sat down next to him, looking him over, concern etched onto her face.

'Are you ok?' she said, watching him.

'A little better now if I'm honest.' He smiled.

'Have you been checked over?' she said seriously noticing the wince as he moved and the way his hand hovered around his waist. He chuckled at her. 'What?' she asked brow furrowed.

'Nothing.' He said shaking his head. The last time he'd been injured on the job was well over a year ago when he'd been in a car accident, nothing major just a scratch to the face but he hadn't had anyone be concerned about him. The look on Sophie's face made him chuckle, it was half curious half what he only assumed was protection, like she wanted to find out who had done it. He wasn't used to someone genuinely being concerned for his welfare. Not in that way anyway.

'Greg? What is it? You have been checked over haven't you?' Sophie asked him.

'Yes, yes. Stop fussing.' He replied. Standing up to take a look in the basket, when he turned around she was still watching him though. 'I'm fine, a little bruised is all. What's all this?'

'Well, erm, you seemed stressed yesterday. I was hoping you'd be coming around but I thought if you were stuck in here until late I'd bring dinner.' She looked a little sheepish and nervous. 'Sorry.'

'Really?' he asked a little surprised.

'No actually I was on my way to Grandma's house.' Sophie said sarcastically.

'Is that apple pie and custard?' Greg said curiously and Sophie looked at him smiling sheepishly. 'If you don't like it...'

'I love apple pie. Oh god and it's warm, what are you trying to do to me woman.' He said.

'It'll stay warm for a good hour and a half at least. I used those stupid thermal things I've had lying around the flat for ages. At least that way you can eat the sandwich that's in there.' Sophie looked at him sheepishly feeling a little embarrassed, she had gone to a fair bit of effort. More effort than she had with her own tea anyway. She'd even attempted to cook, failed and ended up in the supermarket.

'You didn't have to do this you know.' Greg said routing through the little hamper. 'Where's your food?' he asked curiously.

'I was just going to drop it off and then go.' Sophie replied. 'You didn't sound much like you wanted company on the phone.'

'Now that is a shame,' Greg said pulling her towards him by the belt on her coat. He kissed her gently. He winced a little as her lips moved over his split lip and she tried to apologise but he wouldn't let her go.

'Greg.' She sighed as he started to undo the buttons on her coat.

'What are you hiding under here?' He said opening the buttons slowly, the mac was pretty short and he couldn't see any sign of a dress peeking out from the bottom.

'You'll be disappointed.' She sighed.

'Oh I don't think so.' Greg replied. Sophie hadn't really dressed up, the usual make-up she wore which was now recognisable to Greg as day-to-day; always the same red lipstick, black eyeliner, making the two best things about her look even better, her eyes and her lips. Greg opened the coat and leant against the desk looking her over for a minute.

'Are you sure you weren't meaning to dress up?' He asked her raising an eyebrow at her. She had a tight black pencil skirt on and a red shirt on. The buttons were already half undone showing off a lacy black bra underneath.

'Greg.' Sophie sighed as he slipped his hands around her waist and pulled her close. 'I thought you were injured.' She said in between kisses.

'I'll power through.' He kissed with a little more force and Sophie felt herself go a little weak.

'Lock the door.' Sophie said a little breathless. 'Lock the door!' she said again when he refused to let go of her.

'No one's around.' He said into the kiss.

'Lock the door.' Sophie said a little more firmly. Greg sighed and let go of her. He sauntered over to door and locked it with a click.

'Happy now?' he said turning around to find her stood in her underwear. 'Jesus Soph.' he said as she leant against the desk and beckoned him forward with a wiggle of her finger. She pulled him into a kiss undoing the buttons on his shirt as she went. She paused for a moment sitting herself on the edge of the desk and wrapping her legs around his waist.

'I missed you.' She whispered.

'I definitely need to start staying away longer.' Greg chuckled and Sophie tightened her grip around him, pulling him ever closer, a gesture that said _please don't_.

'Or not.' He chuckled again and she could feel it rumble through his body. He hissed as she ran her hands over his bare chest and around his waist trying to pull him so he was leaning down over her.

'Sorry.' Sophie said looking at him concerned.

'Take that damn look off your face.' Greg said and he stood up and pulled her by the hand towards the couch. This would be a little more comfortable. Sophie shivered at the cold of the office. 'You need warming up.' Greg said, he pulled her down onto him so she was straddling his lap. She could feel him hard through his pants and hers and she ground herself against his erection hard so he moaned.

'Careful Soph.' Greg said breathlessly. Greg had been missing Sophie too, not just Sophie but the pretty regular sex, which after having a god knows how long dry spell, came as a very pleasant surprise. So after weeks of getting at least 4/5 times a week, to go back to not having it at all had left him more than a little hungry for it. Not just for sex but for sex with Sophie.

Sophie felt all her insides tighten when he said her name like that. A burning need to kiss him over whelmed everything. She pushed herself off him though, off the couch and he raised an eyebrow at her. Watching her as she unhooked the bra she was wearing and slipped it off. She waited for him to remove his pants before she slipped off her own, she took a moment to look him over and admire him a little hungrily.

She straddled him again and Greg groaned loudly as he guided himself inside her.

'Fuck.' Sophie said breathlessly, everything tightened and Greg felt it, tight wet and warm as she slid down onto him. She panted a little and he sat himself upright pulling her close to him, she tangled her fingers in his hair as he kissed her. He hissed as he her held her tightly to him. He thrust up into her a little eliciting a sharp moan from her. He hissed again as she leant back in ecstasy and Greg licked a trail in between her breasts and up her neck.

'Are you ok?' Sophie asked him cupping his face with her hands. Greg simply nodded but she could see he was in pain and torn between being in pain and pleasure.

She put a finger to his chest and pushed him backwards onto the couch. Greg lay back and ran his hands up and down Sophie's thighs as she began to move gently on top of him. Greg groaned and as fingers left warm trails up and down his chest. As she leant over and he felt her breasts brush against his chest, he shivered and Sophie smirked at him. She kissed a long wet trail up his chest, nipping at it every once in a while lightly. His ribs still felt sore but it was more of a dull ache now they weren't being strained.

'Ouch.' Greg said as Sophie bit on his lip playfully and kissed him a little hard, she licked at the cut and he shivered again, feeling hot and tingly, a tight knot of ecstasy forming in the pit of his stomach. She was driving him wild, he just wanted to fuck her but he didn't think his ribs would take it and instead she held all the cards.

She pulled up from him and he ran his hands over her thighs again and she shuddered and began to grind onto him. She alternated between bobbing up and down and grinding against him and Greg could feel her tightening on top of him. She moaned and threw her head back, hair falling around her face. Greg didn't think he'd ever seen her look sexier than when she arched her back and ran her fingers through her hair a look of pure pleasure on her face.

Just as they were getting a rhythm going there was a loud rapping at his door.

'Fuck.' Sophie exclaimed.

'Shh.' Greg said sitting up a little fast and clutching at his ribs in pain.

'Maybe he's gone home?' They heard from the other side of the door. Greg was trying to listen to see who was on the other side of the door. Sophie on the other hand, had other ideas. She knew Greg was trying to listen and now this had just become a little more dangerous. She rolled her hips onto him.

'Soph.' he tried to scold but it came out as a half strangled moan. She moaned an hmmm into his ear and Greg could felt himself tighten. He was so close. Whatever it was outside could wait.

'Don't be stupid, he's been using this office like a bedroom for weeks.' The familiar tones of Sherlock Holmes replied.

Greg wasn't paying attention though, there was now a heightened sense of excitement to their current situation and he liked the way Sophie was trying to pant quietly, as she rolled her hips into him over and over again. The way she was biting down hard on her lip and he could feel her tightening around him. The effort she was making to remain quiet was a strain and a light sheen of sweat had started all over her body as there was another knock at the door.

Greg ignored it, he couldn't take his eyes off Sophie. He hoisted himself up not caring about the pain in his ribs for the moment, when she came he wanted to hold her as she shook.

The couch creaked a little as she moved faster and Greg could feel the tightness in the ball of his stomach, his breath coming out hot and heavy and he pulled her close as she tightened around him, bit down on his shoulder, as her breath seemed to escape her body all at once and she collapsed onto him panting, barely able to move. Greg's hips were on automatic as waves of ecstasy still rolled off him and into her.

'Lestrade we know you're in there.' Sherlock said from the other side of the door as Sophie buried her head into Greg's shoulder and groaned loudly.

'Sherlock maybe we should come back another time.' They heard John say.

'Sophie if you could find a way of disentangling yourself from the Inspector I have something important to discuss with him.' Sherlock said into the door.

'Sherlock!' John cried and they proceeded to have a small argument outside the door.

Sophie and Greg chuckled.

'If we're quiet enough he'll piss off eventually.' Sophie said.

'Maybe I should…' Greg began but Sophie raised an eyebrow at him.

'He'll come back later.' She half growled at him playfully. 'This is my time.' Sophie added. She slid next to him on the couch and shivered a little pulling the blanket off the floor over them both.

'Not getting dressed?' Greg asked, kissing the top of her head.

'Eventually.' She yawned and rested her head on his shoulder. 'Why didn't you tell me about this?' Hurt returning to her voice as she tugged at the blanket.

'Tell you what?' Greg shrugged.

'Tell me that you were living out of your office, better still why didn't you just come and stay with me, or at very least a hotel?' Sophie scolded.

'I can't afford a hotel. I can't go back to the house as I'm sure Sherlock informed you.' Greg scowled at that thought. 'I don't want to rush you into anything Soph.' he kissed the top of her head.

'By staying with me until you find a flat?' Sophie arched an eyebrow at him.

'I just don't want to rush things, love.' Greg replied.

'Well then at least let me pay for you a hotel?' Sophie asked him.

'That's out of the question!' he replied firmly.

'Why? I'm sure you can repay me.' Sophie giggled running a hand over his chest. Greg was more than a little proud. He'd been brought up in a house where the women didn't pay. The men paid. 'Is this some stupid pride thing?' Sophie asked him.

'No, I'm fine right here.' Greg replied, except he wasn't because his back and neck were constantly aching.

'No you're not this couch is horrendous. Look.' Sophie said propping herself up on her arm. 'Either you let me pay for a hotel, or you stay at mine until you find a flat. Either way, you're not staying in this office. In fact I know someone who could help us out for a while.' She smirked at him.

Greg just looked at her curiously as she hopped off the sofa. She strolled over to her bag and hunted around for her phone.

'Let's just say I know a guy and he has a penthouse suite at one of the hotels. He's only there six months a year but he once told me I could use that whenever I liked. He owes me a favour.' Sophie smiled and it made Greg feel a little uncomfortable. She noticed the look on his face.

'Not like that! Your more his type then I am. Why don't we go home and I'll call him tomorrow.' She said as Greg yawned and winced.

'Hmm, that sounds like an idea.' Greg replied exhaustion evident in his voice.

'I'll even sneak you up passed Sherlock.' Sophie grinned and nuzzled her nose against his.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN Ok so I just wanted to warn everyone that things are going to get pretty dramatic after this chapter. They'll be certain subject matters that should be on like a trigger list but this fic is rated M and I did warn in the blurby bit so yeah... just wanted to warn you guys. **_


	17. Chapter 17: AttackDefence

_**DISCLAIMER: Obviously I don't own what you know already, all I've got are the things I've come up with and the way I've put it together. **_

_**Thankyou so much for all the lovely reviews! I'm so bloody scared of disappointing you now! I really hope I don't =) =/**_

* * *

><p><em>It's funny how quickly life can go from bliss to madness.<br>It's funny how quickly a world we hold so dear can be shattered  
>so completely.<br>**************_

'I'm only going to be gone a few days love.' Greg said as he paced around his flat, nothing but his boxers on. Sophie smiled at him enjoying how comfortable he was around her, how comfortable he made her feel. They'd been going steady for at least four months now. Sophie's friend had rented Greg his penthouse suite until Greg had found a small flat in the middle of busy London, only a twenty minute walk from Baker Street, which was nice to be close to Sophie. It wasn't so good that Sherlock now knew where his flat was and had a nasty habit of coming around in the dead of night asking for notes on a case.

'Hadn't you better get ready?' Sophie pouted playfully.

'All packed just need to throw my jeans on and then I can go.' Greg smiled leaning over the couch and kissing her.

'I'm sorry about your friend, it's just sad that's the reason you're going away.' Sophie said for the fourth time, Greg was only going to the funeral as a mark of respect. He had known the man for some years after all.

'Right, I need to get ready.' Greg said for the third time that morning, the first time Sophie had dragged him back to bed with smirk and a wink. Getting on her hands and knees at the end of the bed and swallowing him whole. The second time, he'd said he was going to get up, he'd ended up cuddling up to her and told himself he could have five more minutes. The third time Sophie had strutted passed him in his shirt and parked herself on the sofa. That time he couldn't resist the kiss, the touch, the taste.

* * *

><p>'Do you fancy catching the game at tomorrow?' Sophie asked John.<p>

'Errm,' John began.

'No, John will be helping me on a case.' Sherlock said from his microscope.

'Oh wow, John you said that without moving your lips.' Sophie smirked at John.

'Yeah, we could do, if we've finished on the case.' He looked to Sherlock who simply scowled at him. 'Will Greg be joining us?' John asked.

'No, he's…' Sophie began but Sherlock finished the sentence for her.

'At a funeral with his wife, sorry ex-wife.' He said.

'No he's not.' Sophie said a little defiantly. 'I mean he's at a funeral yes, but it's some friend.'

'His ex-wife's brother.' Sherlock said.

'No, how do you know?' Sophie asked Sherlock confused.

'It was announced sometime in the papers last week, through a series of deductions I found out. I'm guessing from the tone of surprise and your defensive stance that he didn't tell you he was going with his ex-wife.' Sherlock said and he raised an eyebrow at her. Sophie scowled at him for a moment and John shook his head at him.

'Remember what we talked about.' John muttered to him as he passed.

'He, er, he hasn't gone with his ex-wife.' Sophie said.

'One would assume…' Sherlock began.

'Sherlock.' John scolded. 'You've got nothing to worry about Sophie, Greg probably didn't tell you because he didn't think it was a big deal.'

'He, erm, he did tell me. It's not a big deal, why would it be a big deal?' Sophie asked but John shook his head at Sherlock who made to say something. Sophie felt a little humiliated.

'Football later though, yeah?' John asked. Sophie nodded but she wasn't really listening to him. Her head was feeling a little fuzzy. She didn't really know what to make of Greg not telling her. She didn't want to feel angry but she did. She knew it was probably nothing, he'd just forgotten or not thought it worth mentioning but she couldn't help feeling hurt, a thousand scenarios running through her insecure brain. Images of him and Maria tumbling into bed together, unable to resist one another, images of Greg leaving her and going back to a woman who deserved him even less than Sophie did. Once the feeling had settled itself wriggling around in her mind it wouldn't go, an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. She couldn't call him, could she? He wouldn't be at the funeral yet, it wasn't until tomorrow.

She paced about the flat for hours, up and down around and around and nothing would shake that niggling feeling in the back of her head. So she sent him a text, a single text. Greg never replied and she phoned two or three times. The same message kept playing, either there was no signal or he'd turned his phone off.

'Will you calm the fuck down?' Sophie said to herself in the mirror. 'He's probably somewhere with no signal, he said it was out in the country side. Don't do this to him, he doesn't deserve this bullshit.' Sophie told herself. 'Insecure and immature teenager, that's exactly what your acting like.' _More fool you, _a part of her sniggered back. Before Sophie knew it she had gotten dressed up and was heading down to the bar. If Greg was out having a good time then Sophie would and she'd flirt and get everyone's attention. When she got to the bar though she felt differently, she didn't feel happy, she just missed Greg, she just wanted him to phone her and tell her that she was the girl he wanted not Maria. She knew it was stupid, insecure, immature and clingy but she couldn't help it.

* * *

><p>At 9:30pm Sophie stumbled into Baker Street. Sherlock and John wouldn't have noticed her entrance had she not knocked something over and Mrs Hudson gasped.<p>

'Oh Jesus Christ Sophie!' John cried. 'What happened?'

'Nothing I'm fine, really.' Sophie replied.

Sherlock looked her over. She'd been mugged, no, worse. Her tights had been laddered just above the knee, the buttons on her dress had been fastened up wrong and one was missing. Her knees were grazed hands and elbows too, blood on her hair, finger marks beginning to form on her arms. No one else was paying attention to these things they were too busy concentrating on her face, on the split in her cheek and the bruise forming just under her hairline.

Sherlock made to say something but Sophie looked at him, more intently than he had ever seen before and she shook her head, pleading with her eyes for him not to say what he was about to.

'I'm fine.' She slinked up the stairs as Mrs Hudson clutched at her chest and John was trying to get at her but she batted him away and Sherlock watched her stumble.

Sophie got onto the other side of the door and stumbled to the bathroom where she all put collapsed on top of the toilet bowl vomiting into it violently. Still trying to take stock of what had just happened to her. She felt violated, disgusting, sickened. She wanted to scratch and claw at her own skin, peel it off and throw it away, claw at a part of her brain that was flashing the images of the attack before her eyes. She had said no, no she had clawed and screamed and cried no until her throat was raw and no one had come to save her, no one had helped her. Sophie felt the lump rising in her throat and she vomited again but there was nothing left to come up. She felt numb, disgusting and dirty.

* * *

><p>'It's obvious she's been… mugged.' Sherlock said. He was hunting through the cupboards in the kitchen.<p>

'Shall I see if she needs anything do you think, she's such a private person though?' Mrs Hudson asked the boys hand still clasped to her chest.

'No, I'll go she looked like she could use some medical attention.' John said.

'No, I'll go, if we're to find the people who did this she needs to tell me everything quickly.' Sherlock said.

'Sherlock, I don't think….' John began but Sherlock had already disappeared with a first aid kit in his hands. John raised his eyebrows at Mrs Hudson.

'I'll go and make some tea.' She said to him and went to busy herself in the kitchen.

'Who is it?' Sophie asked trying to right herself, wiping the tears and makeup from under eyes. She breathed deeply trying to sound calm and collected, her voice was shaking though, despite the numb and nausea that had set in something was telling her to try and act normally.

'Sophie, its Sherlock let me in.' He said coolly from the other side of the door.

'Not right now Sherlock.' She didn't want to face him, she couldn't. He probably thought she deserved it and that she couldn't contend with right now. She knew that he knew exactly what had happened. Of course he had known, Sherlock bloody Holmes and his powers of observations wouldn't have missed that.

'Sophie, let me in.' He said again a little more firmly this time. She closed her eyes breathed deeply and swallowed. She opened the door a little. Sherlock took one look at her, dishevelled, she'd been crying, despite the fact she tried to hide it the bruise on her cheek was developing fast and was now substantially darker, dried blood on her lips where they were cut, bruises forming on her wrists.

'What do you want?' she asked him, her voice uneven.

'I'm going to find who did this to you.' He said, but he didn't look at her as he said it, he was looking around. 'You need to do this.' He said somewhat awkwardly handing her some swabs and tubes to put them in. Sophie simply nodded at him, knowing exactly what he meant for her to do. 'Where are your clothes?' he asked her calmly. She didn't need to ask him how he planned on testing it. Sherlock had access to a forensic lab whenever he pleased.

'There, there in a bag.' She pointed to a bin bag in the corner and realised her hands were shaking. She balled them into a fist and held them at her side firmly. 'Promise me you won't tell anyone.' She said suddenly.

'Sherlock, please.' She said pleading as he didn't answer. He looked at her for a moment dishevelled and a shell of the woman who had left the house earlier that evening. There was no doubt her time at Baker Street or her relationship with Greg had changed her. She was no longer seeking as much attention from the world. She had slowly become a little softer, a little more of herself. She did still like to leave an impression but rather than the five characters she started out as she had narrowed herself down to only two. This meant she no longer irritated Sherlock as much. She had come to be not a friend, Sherlock didn't have friends, bar John of course, but she had come to be at very least an, a close acquaintance, like Lestrade, like Molly Hooper. Despite the fact he wasn't an emotionally charged man even Sherlock couldn't deny the family like dynamic that had sprung up at Baker Street between Sophie, John, Mrs Hudson and although it pained him to say it himself.

'It's no one else's business, why on earth would I tell them.' He said, looking her directly in the eyes. It made him angry to see someone had done this too her, to someone he knew. He was nowhere near as emotionally charged as he would have been had it been Mrs Hudson and the surge of anger he had felt had somewhat surprised him. Now he was going to hunt down the man who had done this and make him pay.

'I recommend you let John look at you.' Sherlock said.

Sophie's head shot up and she shook her head defiantly, Her eyes were watering but she seemed to be refusing to cry in front of him, she looked up at the ceiling trying to stop them from spilling over, hands still balled up at her sides.

'He doesn't have to know, he believes you were mugged.' Sherlock said. Sophie felt shame welling inside her. She didn't need their pity. She breathed deeply and nodded to him.

Mrs Hudson brought her tea and John patched her up as best she could, she was hiding of course the bruises all over her body, the pain in her side from where the man had kicked and winded her. She felt sick again and ran to the sink. John looked from Sophie to Mrs Hudson who hovered over her rubbing her back.

'I'm ok.' Sophie said shakily. She wasn't though. Everything inside her was falling apart.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: I've never written anything like this before. I don't intend to cause offense of hurt anyone by writing it. It's genuinely something I've wanted to write for a while and has been the plan since the start of this story. I don't know a lot about courtrooms either and if it gets to that point a chapter. I'd just like to point out that this is fictional and most things I know are from Tv and Film.  
><strong>_

_**Most things are how Sophie reacts, all people will react differently in different situations and I'd just like people to remember that this is fiction and I'm oing the best I can. Like I said no offense is intended.  
><strong>_


	18. Chapter 18: Attack, Defence Part 2

_**DISCLAIMER: Obviously I don't own what you know already, all I've got are the things I've come up with and the way I've put it together. **_

_**Thankyou so much for all the lovely reviews! I'm so bloody scared of disappointing you now! I really hope I don't =) =/**_

* * *

><p>Greg did try to call the next day, he tried several times, Sophie had thrown her phone somewhere in frustration though.<p>

'Soph! Finally!' He breathed down the phone. 'You ok love?' he asked her. It was simple and nothing yet it meant so much, that love on the end of it. The way he said it and it took all her strength not to break down and tell him what had happened the night before.

'Soph you there?' he asked.

'Yeah, yeah I'm here.' She said trying not to let her voice break. It was like watching someone else have the conversation. 'You ok?' she asked.

'Yeah I'll be home tomorrow evening by the way. Are you ok?' Greg asked.

'Yeah, fine, just a little sleepy.' She replied, but she wasn't, not at all, she could feel the ball sitting in her chest eating away at her.

'Ok, love I'll leave you to it.' He said down the phone.

'Yeah, bye.' Was all Sophie could muster, she couldn't even say miss you. The next day and a half was going to pass by without her even noticing.

She was numb all over and had scrubbed the skin where he had left bruises until it was raw and bleeding. She didn't sleep. She couldn't sleep because she could feel his hand on her mouth and the weight bearing down on her every time she did. She noticed, John came in to check on her once, Sherlock had muttered to him that she was in shock and she'd be ok. John had scolded him. Mrs Hudson had brought her food up, told her to get a shower. If Sophie showered anymore though they might run out of water, she tried to act normal but came across a little robotic or over the top. She smiled and told them she was fine but it was like it wasn't really her, as though she was watching someone pretending to be her.

When they left she locked the door so they couldn't get back in. She curled herself into a ball and tried to pull herself together. Tried to make sense of everything, she didn't know how long she'd been lay there, or what time it was, even what day it was. She just knew there was a distant knocking in the background of this nightmare, a nightmare she couldn't wake up from.

'Soph, love?' She heard, it was distant and far away though, blurred and echoic. She had to spare him this pain. She couldn't let him feel any ounce of this disgusting, dirty sickness. Yet at the same time maybe, just maybe if one person could chip away at it, it might be him. 'Sophie come on love let me in.' he said again.

Sophie realised she couldn't let him in. She needed time to put a mask on. This should be easy. It would be easy once she got her clothes on. Once she got out of these pyjamas. If he'd been here since the start it would have made pretending so much easier.

'Greg, I'm not really decent.' Sophie said through the door.

'Come on Soph.' Greg said. 'Sherlock told me what happened let me in!' He said a little more firmly.

'What?' Sophie's head whipped around and something inside her snapped. She opened the door and Greg couldn't believe how ill she looked, dishevelled and upset. It seemed like he'd been away for weeks and weeks not a weekend. What the hell had they done to her? John had said she'd been mugged. How could Sophie be this affected by something like that. Greg felt anger welling inside him and he balled his fists up, he was going to find out who did this.

'What did you say?' something in Sophie had snapped she hadn't wanted anyone to know, she'd trusted Sherlock what was he playing at! No longer numb she now felt anger welling inside her.

'It's ok love, Sherlock and John told me everything. I'm here now, we'll catch them.' He said moving towards her but she took a step back anger rising inside her.

'What did you say?' she said through gritted teeth and Greg couldn't understand what he'd done wrong, she looked angry now.

'Soph, it's ok Sherlock and…' Suddenly she stormed passed him, almost running down the stairs in a blind fury and Greg followed her.

They stopped talking when she entered, John, Sherlock and Mrs Hudson. Sophie's hair was sticking out all over the place, bags under her eyes, no make-up. They gave her a pitying look that seemed to add to her anger. She stormed over to where Sherlock stood and slapped him hard across the face.

'SOPHIE!' The others chimed in unison, shocked.

'You promised me!' She cried tears in her eyes. 'You promised, you said.' She paused trying to compose herself and the others wondered what on earth was happening. 'You said it was no one else's business.' She pointed at him, jabbing the air with such ferocity.

'What, is that what you're all doing down here, discussing it. I bet you're all talking about how I deserved it, about how I had it coming. Its right though isn't it.' Sophie said throwing her hands up at them and not taking her eyes off Sherlock.

'Sophie.' Sherlock tried to interject several times as the others looked on bemused.

'The way I dress, the way I act of course I was asking for it right, I only went in there for a bloody drink, I know exactly what you're all thinking though. Of course I do, I deserved it. Of course I did because I'm a tease right a filthy disgusting little whore who deserves exactly what she gets.' Her voice was breaking but she breathed deeply and continued talking.

'Sophie, I didn't…' Sherlock was trying to stop her talking but she continued babbling. Pacing backwards and forwards running a hand through her hair making it messier then it already was, making her look mad.

'I refused though, I told him no, I said no I didn't want a drink, I told him no, I screamed no. No means no, it's up to me, it is, it should be.' Sherlock tried to talk over her. She continued though. It was like watching someone crumble before them, because they were. She was and Greg was still trying to work out what had happened, it was Mrs Hudson who gasped as she realised. Things starting to click into place for the others and Greg could feel his blood beginning to boil. _Surely not, _ran through his head. Not his Sophie.

'They didn't know.' Sherlock said looking at her. Nobody said anything, Greg blinked rapidly as he realised what she was saying, as the realisation of what had actually happened washed over him.

'I didn't even lead him on, I didn't even flirt. I said, I screamed no, and he wouldn't let me go.' She paused bringing the back of her hand up to her face and biting on it, trying not to cry. Her face was wet and she crushed her hands against it, trying to stop the tears. 'and I fought, I did I fought, I tried to stop him.' She looked at Sherlock, looking for some reassurance, because she had tried to fight. She stopped talking, just stopped and looked at him. She mouthed sorry, not taking her eyes off Sherlock. It was like she had broken, she couldn't talk anymore, tears that she couldn't stop fell over her face and her head fell forward. Her shoulders shook and her knees seemed to give out from underneath her. Sherlock caught her as she sobbed. Hugging wasn't his thing, he couldn't do it but even Sherlock knew if he let go of her she was going to crumble to the floor.

John, Greg and Mrs Hudson stood in shock. Mrs Hudson had her hand to her chest again. John looked at Greg who was blinking rapidly, shock etched across his face. She'd been fine on the phone, she had, she'd said she was ok.

'I tried to fight, I did, but he was…' Sophie sobbed and sniffed. She brought a hand to her mouth that ball in her stomach rising up again as she remembered the way he leered over her, the exact moment she had realised she was powerless to stop what was about to happen. She pushed away from Sherlock and ran to the sink vomiting into it. She felt a hand on her shoulder and shivered away from it shrugging. It had been Greg and even though he knew he shouldn't, he felt hurt that she shivered and shrugged away from him.

Sophie steadied herself on the sink, she looked down into it. _Pull yourself together._ She said to herself. She pushed herself up, it took all her effort to wipe the tears off her face and stand up straight. She felt weak, drained, that outburst had taken it out of her. She collapsed against it and Greg caught her before she had chance to fall to the floor.

'I'm fine.' She mumbled. Her legs felt like jelly and her head felt fuzzy, she wanted to be anywhere but here. She wanted to be alone, let the darkness to swallow her whole.

'I think it's just shock.' John said keeping his voice even. He moved something off the sofa so Sophie could sit down there.

'She needs to tell the police.' Greg said to them, going into Detective mode, he had to he couldn't process this properly right now.

'She didn't want me to tell anyone.' Sherlock replied, looking at Sophie who felt spaced out.

'Look Sherlock you know as well as I do if we've any hope of catching the bastard.' Greg began but his voice faltered.

'It's been taken care of.' Sherlock replied and gestured to a file on the table.

'It needs reporting.' Greg replied. As much as he hated the system sometimes, there was no other way to deal with this bastard.

'Sophie when was the last time you ate something?' John asked her. Sophie just shrugged at him.

'You need to eat something.' John said to her, Greg seemed to dance on the edge of the scene, torn between anger and upset. She had been fine, except she wasn't fine. The babbling, the crying the collapse that was all an insight into just how much she was affected and yet he knew. He knew as soon as she realised she was in the room with them she was going to clam up. She was going to bottle it all up and tell them she was fine.

'I'm not hungry.' Sophie said rubbing her face, eyes trained on the floor.

'You need to eat something.' John repeated. Sophie closed her eyes for a moment and breathed in deeply.

'Ok, I know, erm, I'll go upstairs and get some toast.' She half smiled at him and John wasn't buying it.

'No, I'll make you some.' John replied moving away from her.

'So, how was the funeral? Sorry that's probably not the right thing to ask is it?' Sophie said nervously, smiling, it was an odd broken smile though and it made Greg feel uncomfortable. The very fact she was asking him that made him feel uncomfortable as though she was brushing the whole thing off. He'd gone into Detective mode, he'd dealt with things like this before. He'd dealt with the women afterwards. Not this close to home though, he just couldn't process it properly. This wasn't some woman he didn't know, he could distance himself from. This was Sophie, his Sophie and someone had violated her in the worst possible way. The police side of him was screaming get her to the station but the other half, just Greg was telling him to hold her and not let go, let her know that he was going to be there, that he was going to hunt this bastard down and make sure he never did it to another girl. Greg shook his head.

'Bloody hell Sophie, you're asking me about the bloody funeral? Really? Sophie we need to get you to the police station.' He said sitting next to her.

'No, we don't.' She said rubbing her wrists a little hard. Greg could see small purple bruises where someone had held her down. He swallowed hard not wanting to think about it.

'Sophie, this man needs catching, he needs punishing for what he did to you.' Greg said a little fiercely.

'He will be.' She said firmly swallowing and blinking a little rapidly, she looked up at Sherlock. Greg looked from one to the other. Sherlock and Sophie had never been close. In fact Sherlock didn't try to cover over the fact that Sophie annoyed him a lot of the time. Now though? What they were communicating without speaking? All of a sudden close because of what had happened to her? Greg didn't buy it and he felt angry. Then he realised just what Sophie had said. 'He will be.' As in he will be punished. They were going to take the law into their own hands?

'You can't take the law into your own hands Sophie.' Greg said frowning at Sherlock, as much as he wanted to catch this bastard and string him up, that wasn't the way things worked and Sophie would end up worse off. Sophie said nothing.

'Sophie, you need to report this properly. You need to be checked over.' Greg said.

'I've been checked over.' Sophie replied nodding her head at John when he handed her the plate of toast. For the first time in a very long time Sophie didn't like the fact they were all looking at her. She didn't like the way they were watching her and she couldn't tell what they were thinking. She felt so alone, and vulnerable and she couldn't let them know that. She breathed in deeply again and steeled herself. It was so much worse because it had been Sophie. She had been herself when it happened, no mask, no costume. She wondered if maybe, just maybe she had been wearing that mask it wouldn't have hurt so much. It wouldn't be tearing at her insides the way it was.

'You know what I mean.' Greg said.

'Yeah you want me to go down to the police station and be poked and prodded by strangers some more.' Sophie let out a small laugh but there was a hint of something else there. Greg felt a little hurt by the statement. He knew how hard it was on the victims when they had to be examined but it was something that needed doing.

'No Soph, I want to find the person who did this to you.' Greg said and he tried to take her hand but she shrugged it away, fully aware that someone in the room was waiting for her to eat something. She picked up the toast slowly, she was expecting to feel sick to want to vomit but she didn't. It tasted sweet and warm and homely. It tasted like heaven on a plate and she hadn't realised just how hungry she was until she'd started eating.

'Sophie love.' Greg began.

'What?' Sophie said a little angrily as she finished the toast.

'Sophie, Greg's got a point.' John started.

'No,' Sophie said firmly.

'What if he attacks someone else?' Greg asked.

'Why do you want to catch him so much?' Sophie cried at him. It was irrational she knew that as soon as it came out of her mouth. Greg looked bemused.

'Because the bastard deserves everything he gets.' Greg said.

'So I have to suffer even more, I have to sit through months of courtroom dates that's even if anyone believes me.' She pulled her hands away from him. Stood up and walked to the door. 'No one is going to believe me.' She said steeling herself as she put the dish in the now clean sink.

'We believe you Soph.' Greg said. He was hurting, hurting more than she knew. He couldn't just take this away. When a spider crawled up the drainpipe he could get rid of it so easily, ease the fear and panic she felt. This though, he couldn't just take this away from her. He couldn't get inside her head and take away the pain. He couldn't get rid of the thing that was making her uncomfortable.

'Sherlock's going to find him.' Sophie said an odd calmness seeming to wash over her. 'And when he does, I'll decide what happens to him.' Greg didn't like the edge to her voice, the edge that had undertones of _I'll kill him. I'll decide if he lives or dies_. If it came to that Greg couldn't allow it, no matter how much he'd want to. He couldn't and wouldn't allow it.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: I've never written anything like this before. I don't intend to cause offense of hurt anyone by writing it. It's genuinely something I've wanted to write for a while and has been the plan since the start of this story. I don't know a lot about courtrooms either and if it gets to that point a chapter. I'd just like to point out that this is fictional and most things I know are from Tv and Film.  
><strong>_

_**Most things are how Sophie reacts, all people will react differently in different situations and I'd just like people to remember that this is fiction and I'm oing the best I can. Like I said no offense is intended.  
><strong>_


	19. Chapter 19: Just fine

_**DISCLAIMER: Obviously I don't own what you know already, all I've got are the things I've come up with and the way I've put it together. **_

_**Thankyou so much for all the lovely reviews! I'm so bloody scared of disappointing you now! I really hope I don't =) =/**_

* * *

><p>Sophie tried to keep exactly how she was feeling hidden. She didn't want them to know she was falling apart inside. They could see it though, and she was tired of them asking her if she was ok. Every time she replied <em>I'm fine<em> because how else was she supposed to reply? Was she supposed to scream and shout that she was in so much pain. That everything ached, that she felt broken, that she didn't want to go outside, that every time she closed her eyes she could see him. That when she did go outside, she was jumping at every shadow and giving any alley way a wide birth.

Sophie was having nightmares too, when she woke up with Greg's hands on her she all but jumped about a foot off the bed. She did want them there though reassuring her. He woke up several times a night over the next week. He could hear her sobbing in the bathroom. He'd sit up sigh and pinch the bridge of his nose between his fingers feeling useless. He didn't think he'd ever felt more useless in all his time on the force, he couldn't concentrate on work properly. How could he knowing that monster was still out on the streets. Aside from worrying about Sophie he was worried that the attacker could strike again. Sophie refused to come to the police station and the fact that she was relying on Sherlock who had occupied himself with other cases on Greg's request made him feel even more useless. It was his job to catch these criminals and yet he couldn't help someone he cared about so much?

'You can do this! Just do this and then you can get over it. This will not be the thing that breaks you.' Sophie said into the bathroom mirror. 'You can do this.' She smoothed out the tight black dress she'd pulled on and checked her makeup again. She'd gotten all dressed up determined to go back to the club. Greg was out at work so there was no one to stop her, she was sure if she could just go back on her own she'd be fine. She thought if she could just step foot over the thresh hold of the club then she'd be able to get over it, move on because she would have proved that she could. She had to move on from this, it couldn't be undone. She had to pull herself together so the others would stop asking her if she was ok. She had to get over this so she could continue her relationship with Greg. She checked her make up again and then walked over to the door.

She paused and breathed deeply as she reached for the handle her hands shaking. She pulled a bottle of the side and drank.

'Drink every time it hits.' Sophie said to herself, she filled a small empty vodka bottle with whatever she could find and slipped it into her purse. Every time Sophie felt her hands begin to shake she drank, when she went out of the front door of Baker Street, when she got into the taxi. She took a rather large drink when she got out of the taxi and then finished the rest on the street.

She was almost out of her mind within an hour of being there, panic free because she couldn't think straight and therefore in some ways it was a small victory. When Greg found her she was being eyed up and dancing in the centre of the dance floor. Swaying drunkenly, there was a man dancing near her, tracing her outline with his hands but not yet touching. Greg marched up, feeling angry. He knew he shouldn't be angry towards the lad, Sophie was an attractive girl and he was just doing what other men in the club were thinking of, he'd probably done it himself when he was a lad. Dancing with a drunken girl because they swayed and moved in all the right ways and had that little bit more confidence about them.

'Soph, come on.' Greg said putting a hand around her waist.

'Nope! I want another drink.' Sophie said pushing his hand away. 'I said no.' she repeated as he tried to lead her away. Greg felt his insides churn as she did it. She'd probably done that, that night. Sophie hadn't told Greg in detail what had happened, all Greg knew was what he'd heard her say to Sherlock. That she'd fought back, that she'd tried to fight him off. He'd seen the bruises too and the injuries she'd incurred, when she was getting ready for bed or in the morning. Sophie wouldn't tell him what had happened though and when he asked her, she just muttered _it doesn't matter._

'Maybe you should let her alone mate.' The guy who had been dancing near Sophie said.

'Maybe you should mind your own.' Greg muttered.

'Look pal, if the lady doesn't want to go with you.' He added. _Where were you last week?_ Greg thought. _Where was I last week?_ Guilt welled inside him. If he'd been straight with Sophie in the first place about whose funeral it was, they might not be dealing with this now. The guilt welled up again and then he felt anger, anger at Sherlock for telling her, anger at himself because he should have realised Sherlock would know.

'I want another drink.' Sophie whined.

'I think you've had enough love.' Greg said and she suddenly seemed to realise who it was. 'Come on, let's get you home.'

'Hmmm going to take me home detective.' Sophie hummed, putting her hands on his chest and grinning at him. Greg didn't like the way she looked, the rest of her was screaming look at me and yet her eyes looked broken, she didn't look like his Sophie at the moment, she looked tragic.

'Yes.' He sighed closing his eyes gently, putting a hand around her waist and pulling her along. She stumbled out onto the street and Greg felt her go tense next to him and she stopped and turned as he pulled her towards a taxi. She paused facing an alley and Greg figured this must have been where it happened, he felt a little sick. The alleyway was dark and narrow, disgusting. Sophie turned and pulled Greg by his jacket to edge of it stumbling and giggling loudly placing sloppy kisses on his mouth and being overly rough, he shrugged her off once but she tried again.

'Soph.' he said putting a hand on her face, shaking his head and moving away from her. If this was some coping mechanism he didn't want to be a part of it, his stomach turned as he thought of her screaming and trying to fight her attacker off in the alley way.

'Come on, where's your sense of adventure.' Sophie slurred and tried to pull him forward again.

'Soph!' Greg protested but Sophie still pulled at him and Greg pushed her away from him a little firmer then he'd intended and she fell back against the wall a little roughly. 'Sophie I'm sorry, come on love.' Greg said holding out a hand as Sophie laughed at him.

'No, No I get it, you don't want damaged goods.' She slurred throwing her hands out then pushing off from the wall and stumbling off ahead of him.

'Soph.' Greg said rubbing his face again.

'My name is So-PHIE!' she slurred at him, 'I get it right, I'm tainted goods.' She laughed again, high cold and heartless. She shivered a little in the cold and Greg noticed the goosebumps on her chest. She shrugged him off again as he put a hand on her.

'I need a drink.' She said, she could feel herself sobering up, she put a hand to her face and breathed deeply again, she walked a little ahead of Greg before turning to him arms folded. Head tilted she sighed.

'I just wanted to prove I could do it.' She said and he could see her eyes watering. 'I just wanted to prove that it's not going to break me.' She closed her eyes and bit down hard on her lip.

'I know love.' Greg said he crossed to her and pulled her in under his coat into a hug, he held her tightly for a minute, kissed the top of her head. 'You're freezing.' He said and shrugged off his coat and then his jacket. He gave Sophie his jacket, knowing that his coat would be far too big for her. Sophie let out a small pleasant hum as she felt the warmth of Greg's jacket around her shoulders.

'Come on love.' Greg said tugging her away from the street and into the back of a taxi, his arm firmly around her waist, fingers intertwined with hers.

* * *

><p>Then it happened, exactly what Greg had been dreading the next morning it was all over the papers. <em>Girl 18 attacked on way home from club! <em>The same club where Sophie had been attacked, the same club she'd been at last night. It hadn't happened last night though, no according to the report it had happened three days after Sophie's. Greg wondered how he'd missed that at work. Mind you he'd been so stressed with everything that had gone on that he was slipping up at work. Greg felt angry, that bastard could have been in there last night.

'John, don't let her see that paper.' Greg said running his hand through his hair, he had thick dark bags under his eyes. Sherlock had no leads for them, this wasn't like a murder case. The ways of investigating were completely different. Therefore, Sophie's things remained in a bag on the table. Greg had asked Sherlock not to take them to the lab. He knew that if Sophie changed her mind they'd need hard evidence, evidence that hadn't been 'tampered' with.

Sophie woke up on the couch with her head pounding and Greg's jacket on. She sat up and looked around he wasn't here. She made her way to the bathroom and looked at the mess that was her in the mirror. Her eyes looked like someone had melted a black crayon over them, lipstick smeared up the side of her face. _The fallen clown_ was all Sophie could think. She cleaned herself up being a little rougher over the bruise on her cheek as though trying to wipe that off with the make-up.

'New day. New start. First day of the rest of your life girl.' She said to herself in the mirror.

'Morning, thought I might find you down here.' She smiled at Greg who looked awful. 'Anyone want breakfast? I'm just nipping into the café?' Sophie asked. 'No one? Ok then.' She said to John's look of bemusement. 'I'll get you a full English muffin thing.' She smiled and kissed Greg on the cheek.

'Erm, is she ok?' John asked.

'I don't know anymore.' Greg replied and he sounded genuinely frustrated and exhausted. He was sat on Sherlock and John's sofa, he had been since about 8o'clock. Running his hands over his face and not knowing exactly what to say just sitting there and thinking, letting his thoughts run wild.

'Why didn't you tell me?' Sophie said throwing a paper down on the table ten minutes later. 'I thought you were going to find him for me?' She said at Sherlock who was looking through a microscope.

'I've had other cases.' Sherlock said deadpan. He'd had one or two other cases. That and Lestrade had asked him to back off a little. John had also had a stern word in his ear something to do with Lestrade's feelings on everything and him feeling inadequate because Sophie had turned to Sherlock instead of Lestrade. Sherlock didn't understand it himself. It seemed the feelings he'd had after seeing Sophie had dimmed and he'd returned to treating her indifferently. What John and Greg didn't know was that Sherlock was still somewhat investigating.

'Thanks.' Sophie said sarcastically, shaking her head.

'Soph you have to take it to the police now, if not for your own sake then to help this girl out.' Greg said.

'We don't know if it was the same guy.' Sophie replied.

'Same place, same area, within a few days of each other. It's highly unlikely it wouldn't be the same man and he'll probably strike again.' Sherlock said not once looking up.

_'New day, new start.'_ Sophie muttered to herself. 'I have work to do.'

'She's 18.' Greg cried in frustration. He'd said this would happen, he'd said the guy might attack again and now he had.

'I can't change what happened.' Sophie replied.

'No but you could of stopped this.' The words tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them. He sighed and rubbed his face again and it was like she was seeing him for the first time in a while. He looked gaunt and he'd lost weight, bags under his eyes, he looked exhausted and Sophie noticed there was not just one but two nicotine patches on his arms. He was stressed out and she'd been so busy trying to keep herself together and keep them out, trying to stop them seeing or feeling her pain she hadn't recognised his pain. She hadn't recognised what it was doing to him. She'd been so selfish, he was right to some degree, she knew he was, if she'd reported it that girl might have been on her guard more, the bar might have had more security.

She realised in trying to keep them safe, she'd ultimately been shutting them out and protecting herself more than anyone else. It was selfish and stupid.

'Sophie I'm, I'm sorry.' Greg stammered to John's shocked expression and the blank look on Sophie's face. 'I'm tired and hungry, just, just ignore me.'

'No, you're right.' Sophie said slowly.

'No, no I'm not, you couldn't have stopped this of course you couldn't I didn't mean.' Greg babbled.

'You're right, I've been selfish.' Sophie said. 'I should have gone to the police in the first place. You're right she's 18 and if we can stop this bastard hurting anyone else, then we should.'

'Sophie, I didn't mean it, I'm sorry it just, I'm just. You couldn't have stopped it of course you couldn't.' Greg repeated himself and marched out of Sherlock's flat. Sophie put a hand on his arm and stopped him.

'You're right, you were always right. I don't want to do it, I don't want to spend the next god knows how long reliving it in front of complete strangers but it's the only way to stop him right? That's if they even believe me.' Sophie said.

'Sophie they're not going to not believe you.' Greg said.

'Greg I've got previous, nothing major, don't look at me like that. A lot of it was to do with art to.' Sophie replied.

'They'll believe you, they have to.' Greg said

'When we get to the station I don't want you in the interview room.' Sophie said to him.

'Soph…' Greg began.

'No,' Sophie replied. 'You can't anyway can you, because we're involved.' Sophie added. Greg watched her for a moment and she saw a small wave of relief wash over him, like his shoulders had just gotten a little lighter. Sophie wasn't comfortable with this. On a whole she didn't trust the police all that much.

'I'll get my coat.' Greg said giving her a reassuring squeeze of the hand and kiss on the forehead. Sophie sighed deeply and walked back into Sherlock's flat.

'Are you sure about that?' John asked her.

'No, but if it makes things easier on Greg.' Sophie replied shrugging.

'You don't have to go down there.' John added.

'I do, If not for myself for that girl and for him.' Sophie replied and John nodded. She moved into the kitchen pretending to get a drink and Sherlock slipped a piece of paper towards her. He was, despite what John and Lestrade thought still looking into it. He was using his eyes and ears of the city, a rapist didn't leave behind a body full of clues and motivation though, he left behind a broken human being whose memory probably wasn't fully reliable. Sophie had stood and let him examine every bruise and scratch until he deduced several things about her attacker. Yes, Sherlock, despite what everyone thought was still looking.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: I've never written anything like this before. I don't intend to cause offense of hurt anyone by writing it. It's genuinely something I've wanted to write for a while and has been the plan since the start of this story. I don't know a lot about courtrooms either and if it gets to that point a chapter. I'd just like to point out that this is fictional and most things I know are from Tv and Film.  
><strong>_

_**Most things are how Sophie reacts, all people will react differently in different situations and I'd just like people to remember that this is fiction and I'm oing the best I can. Like I said no offense is intended.  
><strong>_


	20. Chapter 20: It's All For You

_**DISCLAIMER: Obviously I don't own what you know already, all I've got are the things I've come up with and the way I've put it together. **_

_**So after a rather long abscence I found my muse again for this really sorry it took so long to update I promise angst and then a reunion and I may write something richenbach or post richenbach related. =)  
><strong>_

* * *

><p>The young girl who had been attacked had identified her attacker, so when Sophie reported her own attack she was asked to identify him. Which she did, and the identification started off the long and somewhat uneasy road to the trial. Things were made worse when it was revealed the suspect was the son of a judge, this sent the media into a frenzy, questioning the girls statements and integrity because how could the son of a judge ever commit such a crime?<p>

Sophie never met the other girl who had been attacked, but the fact someone else was testifying made her feel a little more comfortable about the whole ordeal. The press questioned her attack more than they did the young girls. Blatantly wondering whether or not this was some artistic stunt and it seemed some of those in charge of the interviews thought the same. The media circus surrounding it had all but died off when unable to cope with what she had been through the second victim killed herself. It was tragic and suddenly Sophie was under pressure from all sides to ensure this man was convicted, not for what he had done to her but for what he had done to this other young girl.

Sophie couldn't take it, her life spread all out for people to see, not Rosalie's life, not some character she'd created but her life. She didn't like what it was doing to her friends and she didn't think she'd seen Greg look happy in months. She refused to tell him what happened in detail because he didn't need to know.

The day before the trial Sophie made a decision, something she had thought long and hard about. She had to set them free. She had to let them go and make sure they knew they didn't have to stick around. She was tired of feeling like a burden and she was tired of seeing Greg the way he was. She rubbed her hands together nervously as Greg busied himself in the kitchen. She'd been building up to it for a few days now, giving him the cold shoulder. This was going to be the hardest thing she'd ever had to do. She had to though. She had to set him free.

'Greg,' she said slowly swallowing and watching him.

'Yeah love?' He asked turning to face her and putting down the dish cloth in his hands.

'We need to talk, this, this isn't right.' She said steeling herself and reminding herself exactly why she was doing this. 'It's not right, you've just got a divorce, I mean you're free now. You shouldn't be here, like this with me. You should be out enjoying yourself.' She stammered a little but steeled herself.

'You're joking right?' Greg chuckled and moved over to her attempting to put his arms around her neck.

'No, no I'm not, this isn't working.' Sophie said pushing him away. _This was for the best._ She thought to herself. His brow furrowed and he looked at her curiously.

'Sophie love, come on.' Greg said.

'No, no it's not working, I can't do this anymore. You need to go. You need to get your stuff and go.' Sophie said.

'I don't understand where this is coming from? Is this because of the trial? Sophie if you want some space you know I'll...' Greg reached out for her hand but she moved away from him.

'No, this has nothing to do with the trial. I want you to go out and enjoy yourself Greg, find someone who deserves you, who makes you happy.' She smiled at him.

'You make me happy Soph.' He replied. His brow was furrowed and his chest was rising and falling fast. She didn't like the look on his face, she didn't like how hurt he looked but after this he could get on with his life, it was like ripping of a plaster.

'Soph the trials tomorrow if this is s-' Greg began putting a hand on her cheek. Sophie made to wrench it away put she didn't, she simply pulled his hand away slowly.

'Just get your stuff and go.' Sophie said a little more firmly this time.

'I'm not going anywhere until you give me an explanation.' Greg replied. Sophie had thought this would be easy, easy for him to just pick up and go just leave her. She hoped he'd just take it and leave. That after everything with his wife he'd be angry and just go. That didn't seem like it was going to happen though. She knew she had to do something to hurt him, as much as it was killing her already to send him away she needed to do this. She needed to make sure that he left, that he hated her. She wanted him to be happy that was all. She wanted him to find someone who wasn't trouble like her or like his wife.

'You want an explanation, well I'm bored ok, you're boring I want my old life back, my freedom.' She said.

'No, no you don't. I don't know what's got into you but you don't mean that. Is it the trial? Is that it? Is this some weird trying to push me away thing, like after the attack when you tried to get rid of me?' Greg said his voice a little frantic. _Yes, yes it is. _Sophie's inner voice cried. _Yes it is, I want you to be so happy, I want to be happy, I want to be the one to make you happy but I can't. I don't want to be the cause of anymore of your pain._

'Don't be stupid Greg.' Sophie replied. 'You're boring, there I said it. You're boring. I had a life before you a life that was always filled with something different.'

'No it wasn't.' Greg said confused, he could feel his eyes prickling he watched her no longer able to tell whether she was being serious or whether she was doing this in some stupid attempt to push him away. Greg wondered if he even had the energy to fight for it anymore. He was so tired, he hadn't anticipated any of this when he had first started chasing Sophie.

'Yes it was, I fancied something reliable for a change. I didn't realise how boring it would become.' Sophie said and she watched the point where it broke him, when she'd actually hurt him. He leant back on one leg, his face stony he folded his arms.

'You don't mean that.' Greg said a little shocked.

'Oh yes I do.' Sophie replied stonily.

'Ok then.' Was all Greg replied with, he grabbed his coat of the side and looked back at her for a moment and then left. Sophie immediately started gathering his things up, putting them in a box; things to do with football, shirts, cufflinks, deodorants. Things she'd bought for him. His bathrobe that smelled like him, that smelt so good. She considered keeping it for a moment, she couldn't though and tears threatened to fall. She wouldn't let them though, she couldn't because it would be acknowledging that she didn't want this and she had to want it.

* * *

><p>'Greg are you ok?' John asked as Greg came stalking out of Baker Street and passed him and Sherlock, he tried the key to his car and realised it was the key to his flat. He slammed his fists against the top of the car and searched for the correct key in his pocket. Sherlock rolled his eyes at John and disappeared inside.<p>

'You ok mate?' John asked him.

'Fine.' Greg replied.

'You want a pint?' John asked him. Greg nodded. 'Come on then.' He added.

'So come on. What's up?' John asked when they were settled in the pub.

'She finished with me.' Greg said slowly. Ordering another whiskey and downing it before the other barmaid brought him and John a pint over.

'She what?' John asked a little surprised.

'Finished with me. Doesn't want me anymore.' Greg said.

'You sure?' John asked him.

'I'm not sure of anything anymore. She said she doesn't want me though.' Greg replied.

'I'm sorry mate.' John said. 'Are you sure it isn't just because of the trial?' John asked him watching his friend. Greg's shoulders were slumped forward and John had never seen him look like this before. Not even when his wife had cheated on him in the summer and Sherlock had pointed it out.

'She told me I'm a boring cunt and she wants her old life back.' Greg replied.

'I'm sorry mate.' John said again and patted him on the back. 'There's plenty more fish in the sea though right.'

'I'm too old for all this shit. Going out and dating again.' Greg said. John looked at him like he was stupid. 'It's ok for you.' He added.

* * *

><p>'I mean where does she get off calling me boring?' Greg slurred.<p>

'I know mate.' John said supporting Greg as he pushed him into the back of a taxi and informing the driver of Greg's address.

'I thought she loved me. I mean she never said it but the way she looked at me John, you know. Not like Maria.' Greg slurred.

'Ok mate, you'll find someone else.' John said.

'I mean her only argument was I was boring. Maybe she's just being a bitch because of the trial?' Greg asked. 'Probably me though, football, work, football work that's all I ever do. When was the last time I ever did anything exciting.' Greg whined.

'You'll find someone better Greg.' John said, even though he knew it wasn't helping.

'No I won't I'm too far past it!' Greg cried. 'She likes me I know she does, she liked me enough last night when she was riding…'

'Alright that's enough!' John said, he didn't need to know about what Sophie did or didn't do in the bedroom. John really didn't know what to do with Greg, he was used to him downing a pint of two and then heading home heavy hearted or kipping on the couch at theirs, he wasn't used to seeing him so cut up.

'I mean the way she sounded John, you know, Jesus Christ. I know she likes me, course she likes me, she might even love me and you know how I know?' Greg slurred and slumped onto the couch.

'Go on?' John asked raising his eyebrows.

'The way she looked at me John, the way she moaned, the way she moved, the way stuff shifted. Don't look at me like that I'm not mad, it's true! Maybe I just need to prove something to her.' Greg said hopefully.

'Maybe talk to her in a day or two Greg, when the dust from the trials settled. Here drink this.' John said handing him a glass of water.

'Oh shit the trials tomorrow.' Greg said fiddling with his phone.

'I don't think you should go Greg.' John replied making sure he took two paracetamol.

'I'm going, if I can set my bloody alarm!' He slurred and threw the phone on the floor. John picked it up and put it on the side giving him a pitying look and setting the alarm for him. When he looked back Greg was sat with his head in his hands and he was sobbing. John watched him feeling pissed off, he knew Sophie could be a bit of a dick sometimes, he'd known that since he met her. She wasn't exactly a Molly Hooper and she tried too hard to be a scarlet woman. He never thought she'd be cruel though.

John had seen what the attack had done to Greg more than Sophie had, He'd seen him at 2 in the morning sitting in their living room with a glass of whiskey in his hand because he felt useless. He couldn't help her as a cop, he felt like a failure as a man and on top of it all he blamed himself for not informing her that his wife was going to be away with him. John was angry. Angry that someone could do this to his friend.

'It's me isn't it, I'm just bloody useless.' Greg cried as John stood behind him for a minute. 'Not a good enough cop, not a good enough husband, not a good enough partner. Not a good enough man full stop am I?' Greg let out a laugh and John didn't want to leave him in the apartment but he had to be in court in the morning.

'No you're not, Jesus Greg, you deserve a lot more than that stupid woman.' John said frustrated.

* * *

><p>'John, the trials in the morning I'm not exactly up for a coffee.' Sophie said, she was in old pyjamas and she'd been trying to get to sleep when he knocked.<p>

'We need to talk.' John said. He put his hand on the door and Sophie could see he was angry.

'John I really don't think…' Sophie said but he pushed the door open and she sighed not wanting to fight and moved away from the door. John marched in, she'd seen him angry a few times but right now he looked furious and perhaps a little disgusted with her.

'I've just left Greg.' John said, Sophie stiffened but remained silent. _It was for the best._ 'Not even going to ask how he is?'

'It's not my business anymore.' Sophie replied. John let out a laugh.

'You know I knew you were cold but really?' John narrowed his eyes at her. Sophie knew exactly what he thought of her, what he'd always thought of her because he'd heard Greg defending her to John. She knew John had tried to tell him what Sophie was like.

'People break up John.' Sophie said coldly.

'You broke his heart.' John said nastily.

'He'll get over it.' Sophie folded her arms and watched John look at her with utter contempt and disgust etched onto his face.

'You really don't care do you?' John watched her and Sophie didn't flinch for fear he'd see straight through her. She didn't honestly need to try and hide it because John wouldn't have seen it anyway. If it had been a bloke he'd have punched her in the face hard.

'You're a hard faced bitch Sophie and he can. No he will do a lot better than you. Well at least you can go back to your exciting lifestyle of being an alcoholic slag.' John didn't stop there though because he was angry and pissed off and even if Greg didn't want to hurt her he did because John was protective over his friends if nothing else.

'You know he blames himself, he blames himself for why you got attacked, but it wasn't him who got dressed up and out of their mind was it?' He looked at her for a moment as she breathed deeply and closed her eyes and even John knew he'd gone too far that time.

'I told him no, I fought for my life that night John, I clawed at that man until his skin was under my finger nails and I kicked out. I tried to get away, I told him no and he still came at me and all I could think and scream was no. Did you know he smashed my head against the wall before he almost suffocated me, just so he could fuck me? But he didn't fuck me did he John? He raped me. He pinned me down in that alleyway and he raped me and he did the same to that other girl. So you know what fuck you because no matter what a woman goes out looking like she doesn't deserve that.' Sophie spat and there were tears in her eyes and her fists were shaking because she couldn't believe he'd said that to her.

John couldn't believe he'd let the words tumble out of his mouth and he knew in the morning he'd regret it deeply, the mixture of alcohol and anger in his blood stream had made him go for the jugular and now he wished the floor would swallow him whole because Sophie looked just as broken as Greg had been.

'Sophie, I'm sorry.' He said sincerely.

'Just saying what you're all thinking right? Now if you've finished.' She said forcing him towards the door.

'Sophie I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it.' John said again.

'Yes you did.' She closed the door shutting him out and locking it. She slid down against the back of the door and let herself come apart at the seams because she couldn't keep it together anymore. Everything was crumbling around her and she didn't know if she was strong enough to get through it on her own. As much as she wanted Mr Hudson to hug her or Greg to hold her, to make her feel safe she knew she could no longer be a burden to them.

Sophie was clinging onto life by a thread, a single thread because she knew she had to get justice for the other victim and she hoped that after the trial if justice was served, her life might be tied back together somehow. Maybe she could move out and find somewhere better.

All she knew was that she wasn't going to make the people she cared about unhappy any longer.


	21. Chapter 21

_**DISCLAIMER: Obviously I don't own what you know already, all I've got are the things I've come up with and the way I've put it together.**_

_**So after a rather long abscence I found my muse again for this really sorry it took so long to update I promise angst and then a reunion and I may write something richenbach or post richenbach related. =) The absence was too long and I'm SO sorry, Sophie just upped and left but I appear to have found her again so here we go.  
><strong>_

* * *

><p>The trial was horrible, it made John who was already feeling guilty about his outburst feel even worse. The rapist's defence lawyer tore strips off Sophie. They brought up her past, the fact she liked a drink and they accused her of not being raped at all, that story being that Sophie had invented the rape because she'd cheated on Greg. Who being a police officer would take this seriously. The attacker decided he was going to run with this story as well. That Sophie had invited him into the alley and told him she liked it rough, she wanted it a little rougher than normal because her boyfriend couldn't give it to her. It turned her stomach, it turned John's stomach. Greg never doubted Sophie for a second, he loved her, he'd seen what the whole thing had done to her and he didn't for one second doubt it had all been real.<p>

Sophie broke down trying to defend herself and Greg finally learned exactly what had happened in detail. It broke his heart as Sophie shook and cried on the stand, trying to remain strong and stand her ground, whilst a lawyer chewed her out like she was the guilty party. He knew how much it was killing her. He wanted to hold her and tell her everything was going to be ok but as soon as the trial was over and the guilty verdict had been announced, she brushed them all off and disappeared.

Sophie let herself have one more night of falling apart before she pulled herself back together and threw herself into her work.

* * *

><p>Christmas seemed to come too quickly, while Greg bought his wife presents after their impromptu get together he couldn't help looking at things and thinking about how he could have bought that for Sophie, how certain things might have looked good on her at Christmas parties. How proud he would have been to have her on his arm. He just couldn't bring himself to hate her, no matter what she had said.<p>

He'd tried to win her back. He had tried about a week after the trial hoping it had just been the trial that had her distancing herself. It seemed it wasn't just the trial though and after drinking too much and getting a text from Maria, Greg had been unable to stop himself from going back to her. What else did he have?

It therefore surprised Greg when he spotted a familiar red dress and red hair, red lipstick and high heels at his works Christmas party. What the hell was Sophie doing there? Was it not enough she'd hurt him, she had to come here to what? Prove something to him. That's the way Greg's thoughts were running when he saw one of the uniformed officers kissing her on the cheek an arm around her waist. Greg felt jealousy boil inside him, worse than he had when she'd been on Sherlock's arm at his birthday party almost a year ago. He wanted her back, he loved her, Maria was just a convenience to him now, she was something to keep the bed warm as he was too her and yet in some ways the house was lonelier than if he lived on his own. It wasn't right, he himself barely understood why he was doing it, why he was back with her and yet now he was determined to try and show her he'd moved on and yet, his wife wasn't here. His wife was somewhere else, probably wrapped up in someone else's arms as per. Greg was used to it by now.

Sophie didn't mean to catch his eye but she had, and it had lingered for a moment. She ignored it and turned her attention back to Aaron, a young police officer she'd met a few weeks back. He was nice, handsome with short blonde hair and tall too. Taller than Greg. He wasn't a patch on him though. The truth was Sophie missed Greg, more than she'd ever admit, she wanted him back, she had been falling in love with him. She couldn't do it to him though, the Detective had already been through so much and he didn't need to deal with her on top of it all. Sophie missed everything, the shirts on the end of the bed, football, the pub. She missed his misunderstanding of something to do with her art and her failure to understand the offside rule or which team was which.

She didn't really know why she was with Aaron if she was honest. She was trying to move on with her life and fill a void. She liked going out but nowhere near as much as she had. She did it, but not as often. Aaron didn't care about her art, for him the attraction seemed purely physical and it was starting to become more and more annoying. His hands were on her constantly. Touching her though she shrugged him off and they hadn't had sex yet, which seemed to constantly frustrate him. Sophie simply couldn't bring herself to do it.

''Greg you've met Sophie right?'' Sandra asked him, gesturing towards Sophie. Sophie looked slightly embarrassed and nodded before moving away and heading to the toilets.

''Can't believe you messed up with that.'' Aaron said a little drunkenly too Greg. ''Hey, how did you y'know, get her too.'' Aaron wiggled his eyebrows and Greg looked disgusted at him shaking his head and walking away. Aaron shrugged it off and went off in search of Sophie, he found her in a corridor by herself having a breather and got up close to her as she stood against the wall.

''You look so fit you know.'' Aaron said. Warm alcoholic breath hit Sophie's face and she wrinkled her nose turning away from him slightly. Aaron took it as an invitation and started to kiss her neck putting his beer down on top of a filing cabinet.

''Aaron.'' Sophie said. ''You're drunk.'' She gave him a small half smile as he moved away from her neck. She pecked at his lips which soon turned into a deeper kiss than she'd intended. Sophie tried to wriggle out from his grasp but Aaron had a firm hand on her face, he was a lot stronger than her and a lot taller.

''Come on baby, lot's of empty rooms around here.'' He whispered to her before giving her another sloppy drunken kiss. Panic bloomed in Sophie's chest as Aaron's thumb brushed her throat. He was just drunk, there was no real ill intent but he was mistaking what she was doing as encouragement, as discomfort because they were in the corridor.

''Aaron let go.'' Sophie said trying to push him away.

''Come on Phie let's take this somewhere a little more private.'' He smiled his thumb brushing her neck again. Sophie couldn't breathe properly, she felt like she was being crushed, like he weighed a lot more than he did, he was an immovable force and she was scared.

''Let go, please.'' Sophie said as tears formed in her eyes and she tried to slow her breathing down, make herself as still as possible. The next thing that happened was a blur, Aaron was on the floor and Greg was on top of him beating the living shit out of his face. Aaron was too shocked to respond, eyes wide and arms trying to cover his face.

''Stop, Greg, stop please.'' Sophie shouted pulling on Greg's arm just long enough to get his attention. ''What the fuck Greg?'' Sophie shouted at him before she ran off. Aaron was up on his feet just after Greg and didn't hesitate in punching the detective square in the face.

''The fuck you playin' at Lestrade?'' Aaron said, the event seem to have suddenly sobered him up, his chest was rising and falling rapidly as he tried to stop his nose from bleeding.

''She told you to get off, could you not see how upset she was.'' Greg said angrily as people started to come around the corner.

''Wait, what?'' Aaron asked him confused.

''She was fucking raped and you were-'' Greg started.

''You think I was going to do that to her?'' Aaron looked disgusted at his detective. ''I'd never do anything like that.'' Aaron swallowed hard.

''No, I didn't-'' Greg began.

''You need to sort yourself out Lestrade, seriously, I can't believe you think I'd.'' Aaron trailed off shaking his head, pinching the bridge of his nose and storming off into the throng of people at the end of the corridor. Greg sighed deeply jutting his jaw left and right, that was going to be painful in the morning. He looked back towards the party before deciding to go after Sophie instead.

* * *

><p>Sophie was on the roof still trying to slow her breathing down. She was looking out across London, trying to find some solace in the night air.<p>

''Soph.'' Greg said softly putting his hands on her cold shoulders, she shuddered away from him though. ''You're freezing love.'' Greg said starting to shrug out of his jacket.

''I don't want your fucking jacket Greg.'' Sophie said through gritted teeth. Greg closed his eyes and sighed silently. He stared at her for a moment his heart still beating rapidly in his chest, his lip was bleeding but he paid it no mind. He just wanted to make sure she was ok. Sophie was trying to search for the right words but they wouldn't come out, everything unsaid was hanging in the air between them and there was something else there too. Love was hanging in the air between them. Sophie loved Greg and Greg loved Sophie so why was everything so fucking difficult?

''Soph, maybe I should take you home.'' Greg said gently before taking a step towards her again. Sophie let out a laugh before she turned to face him, she was going to have to be cruel all over again.

''What are you even doing here Greg?'' Sophie asked him, her tone harsh.

''I came to see if you were ok.'' Greg replied softly.

''My welfare is none of your concern any more.'' Sophie said.

''Soph come on.'' Greg half pleaded.

''Don't-'' Sophie said through gritted teeth.

''All right then, talking what people are doing, what are you doing here?'' Greg asked her angrily.

''Aaron-''

''Oh because that relationship was so well established you couldn't turn him down.'' Greg interrupted her. ''You know what I think? I think you get off on it, you broke my heart and then you turn up here at my works do with some bloke you've known five minutes.''

''I didn't ask you to get involved.'' Sophie said pointedly.

''No but you knew I would, you just fucking love the attention don't you.'' Greg knew it wasn't true. He knew what he was saying about her wasn't true but it was like word vomit and he wanted to hurt her the same way she'd hurt him.

''Greg-'' Sophie started.

''No, you know what I should have fucking listened to John. He told me you were a tease.'' Greg said it before he could stop himself. Sophie felt like a knife had been driven into her heart. ''You know I stood by you, through everything, I chased you. I waited, I held you and I tried my damned hardest to be there for you and you, you just threw it straight back in my face. You fucking threw it back in my face. I loved you, I fell in love with you. I didn't listen to any one about you, Sherlock, John, Maria. The only person I listened to was Mrs H who told me there was a lot more than met the eye. She was wrong though wasn't she, because all you are all you fucking want to be is a show. A circus and you want everyone to watch as you do the next 'crazy' thing. It wasn't about me that night at all was it, when you went out. You'd have gone out whether you found out I was with Maria or not.'' Sophie was hurting now, her heart was aching and she was trying to steel herself against just telling him how much she loved him. There were tears in her eyes and she could only take so much of what he was saying before she cracked.

''It was for you.'' Sophie admittedly quietly as his tirade continued.

''What, speak up Sophie I don't quite think me or the whole world can hear you!'' Greg shouted at her throwing his arms open.

''Fuck you. Fuck you.'' Sophie said through tears. ''It was all for you Greg, it had nothing to do with me.'' Sophie paused and looked at him. ''I was falling in love with you and I wanted to protect you.''

''So you humiliated me and broke my heart?'' Greg spat at her.

''I could see what it was doing to you. I wanted you to be happy again, I was setting you free. I knew you'd never leave me, not then. I didn't want you to feel obliged to stay. I just, I wanted you to find someone who deserved you Greg. I thought about cheating on you to make sure you never came back but I couldn't do it, I couldn't go that far in hurting you.'' Sophie said as tears rolled down her cheeks. ''I didn't want to fall in love with you, not at first but I did and walking away from you. Having you think everything that everyone else thinks about me, having you believe those things, that was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do.'' Sophie breathed deeply and walked towards the door and away from the now quiet and shocked Greg. He'd become bitter about it, still trying to win her back, still caring about her and yet there was a bitterness that twisted inside him about the hold she still had over him. Now though he was rethinking the whole thing. He'd known, he'd always known deep down that it was to do with the trial but after a million and one conversations with work colleagues and John, he came to the conclusion he was fooling himself and Maria had helped him come to that conclusion. Tempted him away from hurt and potential loneliness and into a void of nothingness. Familiarity, that's what it was.

Sophie turned back to speak to him but words failed her, she was defeated. She had wanted him to believe everything she'd said to him and she'd wanted him to hate her but she just didn't believe he would. It hurt to hear him vocalise it, like a knife straight through her heart. Sophie walked out of the building and jumped into a cab, she didn't want to go to Baker Street, to home but she had no option.

Sophie's night only got worse when she checked her phone, three drunken calls off Aaron telling she was a tease, the DI was welcome to her and that she wasn't worth his time or energy. For the first time in weeks Sophie picked up a bottle of alcohol again, the only way to blot everything out.

Greg went home with everything weighing heavy on his mind, a bruise forming not only on his jaw but just under his eye where Aaron had hit him. Maria didn't even enquire about the bloodied lip when he got home, she rolled over and ignored him, huffing angrily and sighing deeply.


	22. Chapter 22

_**DISCLAIMER: Obviously I don't own what you know already, all I've got are the things I've come up with and the way I've put it together.**_

_**So after a rather long abscence I found my muse again for this really sorry it took so long to update I promise angst and then a reunion and I may write something richenbach or post richenbach related. =) The absence was too long and I'm SO sorry, Sophie just upped and left but I appear to have found her again so here we go.  
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><p>Sophie had been in two minds about the gathering Mrs H had arranged downstairs. She'd helped Sherlock a few times over the past months but the ground with John was still uneasy. Mrs Hudson told her not to worry, everything would work itself out, she kept a watchful eye on Sophie venturing into the flat and taking out the alcohol so Sophie couldn't drink.<p>

When Greg arrived Sophie wasn't there and he wondered if she'd even come. It had been one week since the Christmas party and it had been a week of thinking. It had been a week of trying to get his round exactly what everything meant. Rumours went around the station about what had happened between them and Greg tried to quell them but it wasn't much use. It would be old news by Monday, something else would happen. Greg was pouring himself another drink when she arrived, after Molly's embarrassment and Sherlock announcing to everyone that Maria was in fact still cheating on him he needed one. Greg heard a man's voice from downstairs and the sound of Sophie thanking someone, he tried to ignore it and focused his attention back on what was being said in the room.

Sophie stumbled a little up the stairs, maybe she shouldn't have had so much to drink in the bar. Sophie stumbled into the party as Sherlock bristled passed her.

''Oh dear, what's got his knickers in a twist.'' She slurred as she leant against the doorway for support.

''Sophie?'' Mrs Hudson said to her, frowning at the younger girl slightly.

''Mrs H! I got you something!'' Sophie grinned at Mrs Hudson and pushed herself off from the door frame a little hard, she practically fell onto the arm of the chair and pulled out a bottle of cherry from under her mack. Greg watched her from the kitchen for a minute before shaking his head and turning away.

''Oh Sophie you shouldn't have.'' Mr Hudson chided her.

''S'christmas, I'm allowed, allowed to treat you!'' Sophie grinned giving her a kiss on the cheek. ''So did I miss, did I miss Sherlock insulting everyone yet?'' Sophie asked pushing herself off the chair and stumbling a little. She picked up Sherlock's drink off the side and as Molly made to protest she downed it. ''Well don you loo' ravishin''' Sophie hiccuped slightly that time. ''COME ON MR HOLMES I'M WAITING FOR MY CLOSE UP!'' Sophie shouted before giggling.

Molly wasn't quite sure what to do with her eyes and neither was John's new girlfriend. Mrs Hudson was frowning at Sophie. Chastising her softly under her breath.

''Mr Holllmmmeessss.'' Sophie called, nearly falling over as she turned on the spot. ''Ah you see, this present has been wrapped in such a precise manner I can tell that it was wrapped by a young girl named Sandra dee it's obvious.'' Sophie mocked him, his violin bow in her hand which she swished about a little. She was making a fool out of herself.

''Sophie dear I think it's time we got you to bed.'' Mrs Hudson said softly standing up.

''Is it bed time already?'' Sophie asked her looking around for the clock. ''Tis' a bit boring down here I might go back out.'' Sophie grinned at her land lady.

''No, no, I think we should get you upstairs.'' Mrs Hudson said, her tone motherly.

''Ok. ok. But tomorrow, tomorrow.'' Sophie slurred prodding Mrs Hudson gently and leaning on her slightly. ''We, we can have some cherry and a chat and I can tell you ALL about the nice taxi driver.''

''Ok dear.'' Mrs Hudson mouthed a sorry at Molly and Janet and steered Sophie towards the door. Greg watched from the side and when Sophie stumbled on the stairs he ran to help her up not even thinking about it. Mrs Hudson wouldn't be able to support her on her own.

Sophie dropped flat onto the bed as Greg hovered in the doorway and watched Mrs Hudson mother over her.

''Silly thing, getting herself into a state again. I've told her no good will come of it, oh my god what was that?'' She spun round as a bang came from downstairs and Molly could be heard apologising profusely. ''Be a dear and just take her shoes off.'' Mrs Hudson smiled at Greg, apparently the thought of awkwardness didn't even cross her mind as she hurried back down the stairs. Sophie turned her head on the bed but didn't look around.

''You know Mrs H, I love you.'' She admitted drunkenly. ''Greg wasdown there wasn't he?'' She questioned. ''Stupid man withis stupid suits, I miss him.'' Sophie slurred shaking her head. ''I love him Mrs H.'' Then she shook her head again and wagged her finger. ''No, not allowed, he has to be happy, has to find someone nice.'' Sophie nodded. ''T'hurts though. My heart.''

Greg felt a pang in his chest, he just wanted to scoop her up and tell her he was there, he was here and he loved her. She was drunk though and he was supposed to be going away in the morning. With a wife who had been cheating on him again and had apparently not done a very good job of hiding it.

''Soph, come on get in bed.'' Greg said slipping her shoes off her feet for her.

''What're you doing here.'' She slurred when she saw him.

''Come on, get in.'' Greg said but when she wouldn't move he simply reached over and pulled at least half the blanket over her.

''Greg.'' Sophie said suddenly grabbing his face a little hard and holding him there hovering over her. ''I did it for you.'' She said her eyes half closed, Greg swallowed hard as Sophie paused. ''I just, I, I just wanted you to be happy.'' She jabbed his shoulder with a finger. ''Because, because I know Maria.'' Sophie paused and looked a little like she was taking a breath to make sure she wasn't sick. ''Maria used to, she used to trick you and and say it would change. I just, I didn't know, whatwudhappen. I wanted s'you to be happy and and y-y-you'' she jabbed him again. ''You deserve someone better than her and me and everything Greg Lestrade.'' She nodded. ''N' I don mind pain for that.'' She rubbed her chest a little.

Greg stared at her for a moment unsure how to react, she hadn't just loved him, she still loved him and it was hurting her being away from him. All because what? She didn't think she deserved him? Hearing her compare herself to Maria annoyed him too, she was nothing like her. She hadn't lied to him, used him like Maria had. Sophie half grinned at him before turning away and falling to sleep almost instantly. Greg was tempted to climb onto the bed next to her and just hold her, just keep his arms around her until she woke up. The peaceful image of a reunion was somewhat shattered by the memory of the very first time he'd woken up in her bed and she'd kicked him out. Besides Greg had to get home. He had to decide what was the best thing to do. Maria was intent on humiliating him again but he wouldn't do that to her. Even if he did end up trying to speak to Sophie again he wouldn't do that to Maria.

Maria constantly humiliated him, he was a comfort to her, like a familiar pillow in the bed. She didn't love him any more, not at all. Now, now he could see it clearer than ever. He'd given her a second chance because she'd said she missed him. Wanted him back, that he'd taught her a valuable lesson. Things were clicking into place for Greg now though, yes he had taught her a lesson but it was a lesson about how she couldn't stay in that house on her wage alone, how she couldn't live in that big house and enjoy everything else she did. All the expensive clothes and drinks, all the redecorating. She needed Greg there to fall back on, like some kind of buffer for when her latest affair went wrong.

Maybe Greg was best having a clean break from both of them. Anything to do with Sophie was confusing him at the moment and he felt like he was banging his head against a brick wall with her.

Greg breathed deeply looking back at her before he left. Clean break, he could at least try it. Dorset, because he wasn't going to lose that deposit, discuss everything, clean break. Then he'd avoid Baker Street for a while.

Distance wasn't going to be so easy though. He went to Dorset with Maria and came home a day early. They split, he told her he wanted a divorce, which made things awkward, they had to live in the same house. Sophie's friend had reoccupied his flat and Greg hadn't bothered to look for a new one. So not only was he in close proximity to Maria but on New Years day he was called to Baker Street because someone had broken in. Greg's mind was racing as he went over there, he wanted to make sure Sophie was ok. She wouldn't leave his brain, trapped in there and tempting him every five minutes. Urging him to reread text messages to not throw out that shirt that still smelled like her.

Greg turned up and saw Sophie on the stairs but Sherlock directed his attention away from her. An ambulance was needed, Sherlock had thrown the American out of the window several times, Greg couldn't blame him, Mrs Hudson looked so upset and Greg wanted to break a few fingers himself. Greg knew he'd have to ask Sophie some questions, standard procedure, he thought about sending one of the boys up there but decided against it. He'd do it himself. He had to brave it, he couldn't keep avoiding her if she was living here. He'd just have to get over it. Still he approached the door with some trepidation before knocking.

''Come in.'' Sophie said sighing from the kitchen.

''I've gotta ask you a few questions?'' Greg said once he was inside. Sophie lent on the kitchen counter and ignored the look on his face, ignored the pang in her chest and the lump in her throat.

''I wasn't here.'' Sophie said shaking her head. ''I just, I never should have gone out, I only went to get some milk so we could have a brew.'' Sophie said closing her eyes and rubbing the bridge of her nose as guilt welled inside her.

''So you didn't see anything?'' Greg asked trying to be professional.

''You mean did I see Sherlock?'' Sophie questioned. ''Fucking helped him.'' She said looking down at the blood specs on her top. ''By the third time the guy couldn't walk properly but still wouldn't talk.'' Sophie admitted.

''Did you see any of the other men?'' Greg asked her.

''No.'' Sophie replied and took a drink from the glass in her hand. Silence hung in the air between them and Greg watched her for a moment before tilting his head and stepping forward.

''Are you ok?'' He asked her slowly.

''I just, I mean, when they said, I thought and the state, I thought.'' Sophie stopped, panic had bloomed in her chest when they'd told her Mrs Hudson had been attacked by some American man and her mind had raced to the darkest places straight away. ''Never mind, it doesn't matter. I'm fine thank you detective.'' Sophie added fumbling with glass a little. She put it down on the side and closed her eyes bringing her hand up to her face as Greg turned to leave. She sniffed and put her hand over her mouth but not before Greg turned back to her.

''Hey, hey come on it's ok.'' Greg said crossing the room in three strides and giving her arm a reassuring rub like it was the most natural thing in the world.

'I'm fine.'' Sophie said gritting her teeth and looking upward. ''I just, they said, she'd been attacked and I'm fine, I'm fine.'' She said trying to shrug it off.

''It's ok to be upset Soph.'' Greg said tilting his head so he could look her in the eyes. ''It's natural.'' He added. Sophie nodded and looked up at him, for the first time in a while they were close enough that their bodies were almost touching. They looked into each others eyes for a moment neither of them saying anything whilst something danced in the air around them and an invisible thread seemed to pull them closer together. Then they were kissing. Had she kissed him or had he kissed her? Neither of them knew.

It started out soft, gentle, loving but weeks of missed contact suddenly meant it turned, deeper, faster, escalating quickly as they both drew for breath. Greg didn't even think as he lifted her up onto the counter, all rational thought was leaving his head as her lips were back on his and her arms were around him. Sophie let out a guttural groan at his hands on her thighs and his breath on her neck. She wasn't aware of taking her jeans off or when he'd taken his coat off, she couldn't think, could barely breathe because it was just her and Greg and the moment and that was it, that was all that mattered.

''Sweet Jesus.'' Greg exhaled as he entered her, this wasn't a time for soft loving moments though, it was frantic and fraught as though neither really wanted to think about what they were doing. Sophie moaned loudly as Greg pumped his hips into her filling her over and over again until they both came hard, panting, holding each other. Greg put his forehead against Sophie's panting before he kissed her again.

''I love you.'' Greg said. Sophie pushed him away gently and slipped off the counter before pulling her jeans on.

''Greg.'' Sophie said leaning back against the counter. ''We c-'' She started.

''I love you Soph and you love me so why does it have to be so fucking difficult?'' Greg asked her moving to stand back in front of her as he fastened his belt.

''Greg, it's-'' Sophie began.

''No, don't say it, because it's bullshit. I love you and you're are better or best or whatever you want me to say.'' Greg said cupping her face and kissing her again but feeling the resistance. ''Soph I know you're scared, so am I.'' Greg admitted, it caused Sophie to look up at him. She looked into his eyes for a moment and could see he was telling the truth.

''Greg.'' Sophie said again.

''It doesn't have to be difficult Soph, just you and me.'' Greg said cupping her face and kissing her.

''Just you and me?'' Sophie asked him biting on her lip. She should let him go and allow him to move on but she couldn't. She loved him, she wanted him, she needed him.

''You and me.'' Greg nodded tangling his fingers in her hair.

''I love you.'' Sophie admitted, tears welling in her eyes.

''and I love you.'' Greg repeated as Sophie pulled him into a kiss wrapping her arms around his neck.

''I'm sorry.'' Sophie said breaking the kiss for a minute.

''Just don't do anything so stupid again.'' Greg chuckled trying to lighten the tone. Sophie smiled at him before nodding as the tears spilled over onto her cheeks. She kissed him again not wanting it to end. She stopped though.

''Don't you have to go back to the station?'' She asked him quietly.

''Mores the pity.'' Greg replied. ''Can I come back later?'' Greg asked.

''Let me think about that.'' Sophie said a half smile on her lips.

''Did you really help Sherlock throw that guy out of the window?'' Greg asked looking down at her top.

''Yeah, he deserved it though.'' Sophie said matter of factly. ''Are you going to come back later?'' She asked him.

''Definitely.'' Greg grinned before pulling her into another kiss, his heart a lot lighter than when he had entered Baker Street.

''Good, go on, you better go.'' Sophie tried to keep her smile to a minimum rather than a grin. Sophie let him go, before pulling him back into a kiss. ''I love you.'' She said again.

''Soph love?'' Greg said as he pulled his coat on and made his way towards the door. ''You better get something nice in for tea.'' Greg said raising an eyebrow at her. Sophie shook her head at him and let the grin envelope her face. The joy over took her heart and it became lighter, she suddenly felt very stupid and foolish. She'd acted because she wanted better for Greg but she hadn't actually listened to what Greg wanted. She should have because Greg did want her. Greg didn't just want her, he loved her.


End file.
